1. ## Solving

Just wondering if i am losing it, for the life of me i can't figure this out

2x+1/3x+2 = 4x-1/6x-5

2. ## Next step

Multiply both sides by 6x.

3. G'day nuckers,

You have to be careful how such a question is asked,

Is the question

$\frac{2x+1}{3x+2} = \frac{4x-1}{6x-5}$

or

$2x+\frac{1}{3x}+2 =4x- \frac{1}{6x} -5$

brackets will make a big difference!

I'm guessing it's $\frac{2x+1}{3x+2} = \frac{4x-1}{6x-5}$

and therefore

$(2x+1)(6x-5) = (4x-1)(3x+2)$

Now expand each side and solve the quadratic.

4. Originally Posted by nuckers
Just wondering if i am losing it, for the life of me i can't figure this out

2x+1/3x+2 = 4x-1/6x-5
EDIT: Just a wee bit late, but what the hey!
Hi nuckers,

I'm guessing that what you intended to state is this:

$\frac{2x+1}{3x+2}=\frac{4x-1}{6x-5}$

If that be the case, what you call "cross multiply" would work just fine.

Remember to use parentheses to separate numerators and denominators. What you actually have written is:

$2x+\frac{1}{3x}+2=4x-\frac{1}{6x}-5$ in which case wonderboy1953's suggestion should be followed.

5. ...

6. Please notice that it is not, and should not be, a matter of what you are "supposed" to do! You can, if you like, 'eliminate the denominators' just because fractions are difficult to work with! And a good way of doing that is to "cross multiply". You are still at the level of "following rules" rather than "thinking". Try to get to the level of thinking out a problem rather than just following rules- because there are always problems where the rules don't apply!