Rearranging a formula to make subject - Can someone please check my working?

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In summary, the conversation is about someone asking for help with rearranging a formula and others providing pointers and tips for correcting errors. The person eventually corrects their mistakes and thanks everyone for their help.
  • #1
matheus
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Hey guys,

I have made an attempt at rearranging the formula below and I am looking for someone to just have a look over it and see if I got it right?
2wg6c5u.jpg
Really appreciate any pointers or tips

Thank you! :-)
 
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  • #2
matheus said:
Hey guys,

I have made an attempt at rearranging the formula below and I am looking for someone to just have a look over it and see if I got it right?Really appreciate any pointers or tips

Thank you! :-)

Hallo,

all your calculations are OK. Nevertheless you can factor out (-3) in the numerator and the denominator and afterwards cancel.
 
  • #3
Hi there. Actually I think I see an error going from line 1 to line 2. You also missed a double negative. We start with:
$$2a = b-c \Big(\frac{b}{3}-4\Big) $$
Now you multiply every term by 3 and you should get the following:
$$6a = 3b-3c\Big(\frac{b}{3}-4\Big) $$
You multiplied by 3 on the outside and inside of the parentheses and we just need to do one or the other, since the whole expression is just one term. From here you can distribute the $3c$ to the terms in parentheses and note that $(-3c)(-4)={\color{red}+}12c$.
\begin{align*}6a &= 3b-bc+12c \\
6a-12c &= 3b-bc \\
6a-12c &= b(3-c)
\end{align*}
I'll let you take it from here. You have to play around with the fraction in the end to get the final form you need. Make sense? :)
 
  • #4
Hi guys,

Many thanks for the replies! :-D

I am currently having another look at where I went wrong, I do struggle with these sorts of questions :-(
 
  • #5
Hi guys,

So after taking a break from this and then going back to it, here is my attempt:
21m5b7p.jpg
How does it look? :-/

Thanks guys :-)
 
  • #6
matheus said:
How does it look? :-/

Thanks guys :-)

Hello,

there are no mistakes except in the very last line: Why do you change \(\displaystyle (3-c)\) into \(\displaystyle (c-3)\) ?

The correct answer is: \(\displaystyle b = \frac{6(a-2c)}{3-c}\)

In fact you changed the sign of the term because: \(\displaystyle (3-c)=(-1) \cdot (c-3)\)
 
  • #7
Thank you so much earboth, for checking out my work and also pointing that last line out.

I will blame user error :-D

Corrected:

m0ykj.jpg


Hopefully that should do the trick :-)
 
  • #8
matheus said:
...

Hopefully that should do the trick :-)

Hello,

now everything is OK. (Yes)
 
  • #9
Hi earboth,

Thank you and the other posters for your help with my formula. I am very very grateful! :cool:

Have a great day :D
 

FAQ: Rearranging a formula to make subject - Can someone please check my working?

How do you rearrange a formula to make a subject?

Rearranging a formula to make a subject involves isolating the desired variable on one side of the equation and solving for it. This is typically done using inverse operations, such as addition/subtraction or multiplication/division.

What is the purpose of rearranging a formula to make a subject?

Rearranging a formula to make a subject allows for a specific variable to be easily solved for in the equation. This is useful in solving problems or finding the value of a particular variable in a given scenario.

Can you provide an example of rearranging a formula to make a subject?

Sure, let's say we have the formula A = B + C and we want to make B the subject. We can rearrange the equation to B = A - C by subtracting C from both sides. This isolates B on one side of the equation, making it the subject.

Are there any tips for rearranging a formula to make a subject?

One helpful tip is to start by identifying the desired subject and then working backwards through the formula, using inverse operations to isolate the variable. It can also be helpful to use a visual representation, such as a diagram or table, to keep track of the changes being made to the equation.

What should I do if I encounter fractions or exponents when rearranging a formula to make a subject?

If the formula contains fractions or exponents, you may need to use additional algebraic techniques, such as cross-multiplication or taking the square root, to isolate the subject. It is important to carefully apply these techniques and check your work to ensure accuracy.

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