Help rearranging this equation

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In summary, the conversation is about rearranging an equation to get the answer given in a book. The equation is 0=-4x^2/2+5/2(x-2)^2+16.7, which can be rearranged to x^2-20x+53.4=0. The person is having trouble solving for x and asks for help. The expert suggests using the quadratic equation and also gives a tip on rearranging divisions.
  • #1
skaboy607
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Ive been trying to rearrange this equation for ages and I can't get the answer that is given in the book. I have 0=-4x^2/2+5/2(x-2)^2+16.7. This can be rearranged to give x^2-20x+53.4=0. I can't get anywhere near that, also how would you sove for x from here?

Thanks for your help.
 
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  • #2
is the first term -(4/2)(x^2) or (-4)(x^(2/2))? In both cases you can easily simplify it
 
  • #3
skaboy607 said:
Ive been trying to rearrange this equation for ages and I can't get the answer that is given in the book. I have 0=-4x^2/2+5/2(x-2)^2+16.7. This can be rearranged to give x^2-20x+53.4=0. I can't get anywhere near that, also how would you sove for x from here?

Thanks for your help.


The way you wrote it is quite confusing, did you mean (all of other stuff written)+16.7 or is that part of the 2(x-2)^2 term... keep things like this in mind though while trying to solve...

say you have .5/1 which equals .5... you can rewrite that as (1/2)/1 ... you can re-arrange this by multiplying by (1/1) to cancel the term on the bottom so you get:

(1/2)*(1/1)= .5 ... I am not sure if that helped, but the main point is you can re-arrange divisions by multiplication in a sense.

as far as solving x^2-20x+53.4=0, look up the quadratic equation.
 

FAQ: Help rearranging this equation

How do I rearrange an equation?

Rearranging an equation involves moving terms from one side of the equation to the other. This can be done by using algebraic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The goal is to isolate the variable you are solving for on one side of the equation.

What is the order of operations when rearranging an equation?

The order of operations when rearranging an equation is to first eliminate any parentheses, then combine like terms, and finally move constants to the opposite side of the equation.

Can I rearrange an equation by changing the order of terms?

No, changing the order of terms in an equation will result in a different equation. The key is to keep the same terms on both sides of the equation, but move them to opposite sides.

How do I know if I have rearranged the equation correctly?

You can check your work by substituting the new values into the original equation. If both sides of the equation equal the same value, then you have correctly rearranged the equation.

Are there any tips for rearranging equations more efficiently?

One tip is to start by isolating the variable on one side of the equation and then work backwards to rearrange the remaining terms. Another helpful tip is to keep track of which operations you have performed on each side of the equation to maintain balance.

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