16Hit1600
Advanced MathMediumRational equation solved by cross-multiplying

Advanced Math practice question

If (x + 1)/(x − 1) = 3, what is the value of x?

Answer: 2

x + 1 = 3(x − 1) → x + 1 = 3x − 3 → 4 = 2x → x = 2.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 1
1 makes the denominator zero and is not allowed.
If you answered 4
4 is 2x, before dividing by 2.
If you answered -2
−2 comes from x + 1 = 3x + 3, distributing the 3 wrongly.

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