For what value of a will 3a - 1 be equal to 3a + 10?

Question

1.) All negative values

2.) All positive values

3.) 0

4.) No values

Answer 1

When you have an equation and you 'lose' the variable and the resulting equation is false there is no solution.

In this case after the 3a on both sides cancel out we have -1 = 10. This is not true. No value of the variable a can possibly make 1- equal to 10 so there is no solution.