Algebra Know-It-ALL

These worked-out solutions do not necessarily represent the only way a problem can be fig-

ured out. If you think you can solve a particular problem in a quicker or better way than you

see here, by all means go ahead! But always check your work to be sure your “alternative”

answer is correct.

Chapter 11

1. We can take a brute-force approach and multiply all the denominators together, getting
   2 × 4 × 6 = 48, and then multiply the entire equation through by that number. We get:

(7/2)× 48 = (14/4) × 48 = (21/6) × 48

which simplifies to

168 = 168 = 168

A more elegant way (at least in this situation) is to multiply the original equation through

by 2, getting

14/2= 28/4 = 42/6

Then, dividing the fractions out, we get

7 = 7 = 7

2. We can do the same thing as we did in the previous solution, and then multiply the
   three-way equations through by −1, getting

− 168 =− 168 =− 168

619

APPENDIX

B

Worked-Out Solutions to

Exercises: Chapters 11 to 19

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