# Math Help - Hello! Older student looking to refresh math skills.

1. ## Hello! Older student looking to refresh math skills.

Hello all! I have a bachelor's of science, and I started studying for the GRE to get into grad school, but I realized my basic math skills are very rusty. I've been out of college for 4 years, and it's been even longer since I've done any "real" math. Looking back, I barely passed physics, and I want to be better than that! I'm starting with a review of algebra and hoping to improve from there. I at least want to get back to a point where I'm comfortable with conversions and ratios of moles needed for chemistry calculations; I'm also aiming for a job in a research lab.

Well then... I guess I'll get started here before settling down into the algebra forum.

I'm looking at basic word problems right now:

Find the measure of an angle whose supplement measures 7 times the measure of its complement.

I think 7 times the supplement = 7(180 - x)

And the complement = (90 - x)

But I'm not sure how to make an equation out of it.

Also, how do you guys generate those very clean-looking math images?

2. ## Re: Hello! Older student looking to refresh math skills.

You need 180-x = 7(90-x).

3. ## Re: Hello! Older student looking to refresh math skills.

Originally Posted by Theolla

[snip]

Also, how do you guys generate those very clean-looking math images?
We use LaTex.

[tex ]\frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}[/tex ]

(with the extra spaces removed from [tex ] and [/tex ])
is rendered as

$\frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}$

There is a Latex Help section in the forum.

Also, you can click on "Reply With Quote" to see the raw LaTex in a post.

4. ## Re: Hello! Older student looking to refresh math skills.

Thanks! So I ended up getting the right answer... x = 75. The supplement of 75 is 105; and the compliment is 15, so 15*7 = 105!

I think my only question now is how did you know to multiply 7 by the compliment instead of the supplement? The wording of it made it seem like there was no other option than to multiply 7 by the supplement.