Any mathematicians out there?

[barryjbutler]

Can anyone take me through the resoultion of the equation
24/x = 10-x

By observation there are two answers, 4 and 6, but the process eludes me.

[factor-fiction]

Only just seen this thread. I know the solutions have been found, but are you know asking how ti type x², x³. etc?

[Prudie]

I am as I don't have a number pad on my laptop

[factor-fiction]

oops, should have typed "are you NOW asking.."

To do powers such as x², x³ and y⁵, fractions such as ⅜ and suffixes such as a₀, a₂, etc, I cheat- I do them in Word and paste them in.

[Old_Geezer]

Try the windows character map application.

To solve problems like this spot ways in which you can manipulate the equation(s) you are given, for example, +, -, /, or * is such a way that you end up with either the unknown on one said of the = and the numeric values on the other side. After which the olution is trivial. Or a solvable quadratic.

In the case of your example 24/x = 10-x. Therefore 24 = 10x - x². Therefore -x² + 10x -24 = 0.

Once you get to this point it is a quadratic and can be solved using the formula I'm sure your teacher must have given you (and suggested you memorise for the exam) at some point.

http://en.wikipedia.o...ki/Quadratic_equation