Math exam question and mom knows the answer but not the rationale: 11 - 2X = 5 - X.?

Collecting "like terms" means that the numbers end up on one side of the equation and the unknowns (the x's) end up on the other. You can add or subtract numbers from both sides at the same time to end up with like terms together. Like this:

11 - 2x = 5 - x

11 - 2x + 2x = 5 - x + 2x (adding 2x to both sides of the equation)

11 = 5 + x (the result of adding 2x to both sides: the -2x and the +2x cancel each other, 2x - x = x)

11-5 = 5 + x -5 (subtracting 5 from both sides of the equation)

6 = x (the result of subtracting 5 from both sides - the equation is in lowest terms and 6 = x)

Yes. Collecting like terms means that you can collect temrs that have the same variable and add them together.

Think of it like this: You can add 2x and 6x to get 8x. You can add 2 cats and 6 cats together to get 8 cats. You can't add 6 bunnies and 7 puppies together.

11 - 2x = 5 - x

To get both of the x's on one side, add x to each side. This cancells out the x on the second side and makes the first side 3x.

11 - 2x = 5 - x

+ x + x

11 - 1x = 5

To get both of the regualr numbers on the opposite side, subtract 11 from each side.

11 - x = 5

- 11 - 11

-x = -6

So, -x = -6. Divide both by -1 so that they're no longer negative.

x = 6

11 - 2x

=11 - 2(6)

=11 - 12

= -1

5 - x

= 5 - 6

= -1

Then answer is not 2.

11 - 2x = 5 - x -- Add 2x to both sides

11 = 5 + x -- Subtract 5 from both sides

6 = x

Basically, you are combining the terms with the same variable. This process is called combining like terms. I took the -2x and put it on the other side, combining it with the -x because they are like terms in that they have the variable 'x'. Then I took the 5 and put it on the left side as it and 11 are like terms because they have no variable.

im not sure how you got 2 as the answer, you can also check by plugging your answer into the equation, and 2 doesn't work 11-2(2) = 7 and 5 - 2 = 3

11 - 2x = 5 - x

-5 -5

6 - 2x = - x

+2x +2x

6 = x

check: 11-2(6) = -1 and 5 - (6) = -1

Okay, so "like terms" are the numbers which have the same variable (or no variable) in them.

-x and -2x are like terms...11 and 5 are also like terms.

So basically, you just add/subtract the like terms with each other to get your answer.

11 - 2x = 5 - x

Bring the 2x over to the right side by adding it to both sides, and bring the 5 over to the left side by subtracting it from both sides.

6 = x

x = 6

The answer is 6.

Hope this helped, and good luck!! :)

Umm what, you want to find x? bring x's to one side so 11-5 = 2x-x hence x = 6? what you mean the answer is 2 :P am i missing something