Question

Find the Error A student solved

1
2x =
= -40. Find the student's mistake
and correct it.
x÷2= -40÷2
x = -20

Answer 1

s x = -80, not x = -20. The student mistakenly divided by 2 instead of multiplying by 2.

Explanation:

The student’s mistake lies in the first step of the equation. The equation provided is 1/2x = -40. If we are to solve for x, we should multiply both sides of the equation by 2 (not divide as the student did), to isolate x on one side. Here’s the correct calculation:

Multiply both sides by 2 to get rid of the fraction:2∗21​x=2∗−40

This simplifies to:x=−80

So, the correct solution is x = -80, not x = -20. The student mistakenly divided by 2 instead of multiplying by 2.

Hope it Helps!