16Hit1600
AlgebraVery hardCounting solutions of a simplifying equation

Algebra practice question

How many solutions does the equation 3(x − 2) − 2(x − 3) = x have?

  1. A. Infinitely manyCorrect
  2. B. Exactly one
  3. C. None
  4. D. Exactly two

Answer: A. Infinitely many

Expand: 3x − 6 − 2x + 6 = x, which simplifies to x = x. That is true for every value of x, so every number is a solution.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. Exactly one
After simplifying, no single value of x is singled out; both sides are identical.
C. None
x = x is never false, so there are solutions — all of them.
D. Exactly two
A linear equation can't have exactly two solutions.

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