another math question. solving for y again. you guys are gonna think I'm stupid, but here goes:?

That's alright! We're here to help! :)

Let's look at what the question tells you to do: "solve for y"

That means that you want to find out what y equals, right? So to do that, you need to get y on one side of the equals sign, and whatever its value is on the other side.

Just like if I were to write x = 1, that would mean that "x has the value of one" because x is on one side of the equal sign and 1 is on the other.

Now, let's look at your problem here: x - 2y = -1

For the sake of explaining this better, we'll write it as:

+ x - 2y = -1

^ ........................... The plus sign represents that x is positive (or added). That means that you could rearrange the equation to say -2y + x = -1

The positive sign is always attached in front of the x, the negative sign is always attached in front of the 2y, and the negative sign always stays attached to the front of the 1 (assuming that you don't cross them over from one side of the equals sign to the other.

Let's revisit it again:

+ x - 2y = -1

To "solve for y," we have to get it ALONE on one side of the equal sign. The first step in doing that is to get rid of the + x. To get rid of something, you do the "opposite operation." Adding is the opposite of subtracting, subtracting is the opposite of adding, multiplying is the opposite of dividing, and dividing is the opposite of multiplying. SO, since x is "added" to the -2y, to get rid of it, what must we do? Why subtract, of course! And remember, whatever you do to one side of the equation, you have to do to the other too. That means that we're going to SUBTRACT X FROM EACH SIDE!!! :)

+ x - 2y = -1

- x ........... -x

Our new equation looks like:

-2y = -1 - x

Do you see why I did that? Now, I could say that "negative two y's is equal to negative one, minus x." BUT, we want to know what one, positive y equals, not what two negative y's equal.

All that means is that we have to get rid of the -2 in front of the y. Since -2y means negative 2 TIMES y, we must do the opposite operation. What's the opposite of multiplying? Dividing! So we'll divide -2y by -2, which will leave y by itself (that's what we want!). BUT, again, what we do to one side, we have to do to the other:

-2y = -1 - x

------ .. -------

-2 ......... -2

When you divide a negative number by another negative number, the answer is *positive*. With that information, we have that:

y = 1/2 + x/2

..............^

This is where the sign that we keep in front of the x comes in handy. When it was on the left side (with the -2y), it had a POSITIVE sign. Because we moved it to the OPPOSITE side, we had to give it the OPPOSITE sign (negative). Now that we're dividing it (a negative), by another negative (the -2 from -2y), that makes it positive again. Hence changing the minus sign to a plus sign.

So ta-da! That's your answer! y = 1/2 + x/2

I hope this helps, and please ask if you'd like me to specify anything further! Good luck and feel free to always ask any other questions!

This is what you do.

( To solve for Y)

first: Replace x with 0.

Now the problem should look like this.

0-2y=-1, then divide by -2y and -1 by -2 and there you go.

First, move the x to the other side

-2y = -1 - x

then divide everything by -2 to solve for y

y = 1/2 + x/2

Are you solving for 2y or y? If the latter, I'd add 2y to both sides and +1 to both sides (your course may give this operation another name)

Then you have

x+1 = 2y

To get y, you divide both sides by 2. That means that you divide EVERYTHING on the left side by 2.

You want to get y by itself and right now there are things attached to it. You have to peel those things off in reverse order.. hang on... (sorry, Brian Regan was on Comedy Central!)

anyway... so you would subtract x from both sides:

-2y = -1 -x

Then divide through by -2

y = -1/(-2) - x/(-2)

the signs can be simplified

y = 1/2 + x/2

Here's the analogy I used to use when I taught this...

Think of a birthday present. When you wrap it up you have to do things in a certain order starting with putting in the present, then the paper, then the ribbon.

To discover what's inside (i.e. solve for y) you have to undo those things in reverse order.

SO.... if you remember the old "BEDMAS" or "PEMDAS" as the order of operations you have to do when you know all the values on one side and you're just combining them all... you have to go in REVERSE order to get that variable (the present) all by itself.

Does that help?

subtract the x from both sides

-2y= -1-x

Now multiply both sides by -1 (dividing would be the same thing, but from now on think of division as the multiplying by the inverse).

2y=x+1 ( just rearranged 1+x into x+1).

Finally, multiply by .5 (divide by 2).

y=(x+1)/2

the final factor i'm able to assert is detect a King James version Bible and initiate at Genesis a million. i'm suggesting a KJV because of the fact I do exactly no longer believe the translated variations, because of the fact they seem to alter the meanings of a few issues. additionally, do no longer pass the e book of Acts. right here you will discover the main intense scripture interior the whole Bible: Acts 2:38, the plan of salvation. i understand maximum "Christians" will inform you that each physique you are going to be able to desire to do to be saved is basically believe, yet many scriptures interior the recent testomony let us know the will arises be born returned of the water (babtism interior the call of Jesus), and of the spirit (being crammed with The Holy Ghost with the info of talking with tounges). The e book of Acts makes it very undeniable that it incredibly is the only thank you to be a real Christian, because of the fact faith with out works is ineffective. i'm hoping this helps, and please do no longer think of i'm attempting to run all people's ideals down, yet i'm basically telling the certainty.

x-2y=-1

subtract x from both sides

x-x-2y=-1-x

2y=-1-x

divide both sides by 2

2y/2=(-1-x)/2

y=(-x-1)/2

x-2y=-1

-2y=-1-x

2y=x+1

y=x/2+1/2