What is x?
A lot of people quit math once they get to algebra all because of that stupid, little X in the middle of an equation. What is x anyway?
X is a question mark. That's all, just a question mark.
The term they use is "Solve for X" all that means is, "what is x?"
Let me clear this up for you, we will start off really simple. Look at the problem below.
2 + 3 = 5
So if I were to say 2 + X = 5 (Remember X is a question mark) Would you be able to tell me how much X is?
X = 3
You just solved for X. Here is another one,
4 + X = 10
Can you "solve for x" on this one? 4 plus something equals 10, do you know the answer?
X = 6 because 4 + 6 = 10.
Try again, this time with multiplication,
3 x X = 6
Since it is confusing to have 2 x's in a row, 3 x X = 6 is usually written as 3x = 6 and they want you to figure out how much x is.
3x = 6 means 3 times something equals 6 (they just leave out the multiplication sign).
3 x 2 = 6 the answer is x = 2.
Try some on your own. Solve for x.
4 + x = 9
2 + x = 10
x + 8 = 18
12 - x = 10
15 - x = 10
x - 5 = 15
3x = 9
4x = 16
Answers: x = 5, x = 8, x = 10, x =2, x = 5, x = 20, x = 3, x = 4
For more practice, complete this worksheet: Solving for X.
X is a question mark. That's all, just a question mark.
The term they use is "Solve for X" all that means is, "what is x?"
Let me clear this up for you, we will start off really simple. Look at the problem below.
2 + 3 = 5
So if I were to say 2 + X = 5 (Remember X is a question mark) Would you be able to tell me how much X is?
X = 3
You just solved for X. Here is another one,
4 + X = 10
Can you "solve for x" on this one? 4 plus something equals 10, do you know the answer?
X = 6 because 4 + 6 = 10.
Try again, this time with multiplication,
3 x X = 6
Since it is confusing to have 2 x's in a row, 3 x X = 6 is usually written as 3x = 6 and they want you to figure out how much x is.
3x = 6 means 3 times something equals 6 (they just leave out the multiplication sign).
3 x 2 = 6 the answer is x = 2.
Try some on your own. Solve for x.
4 + x = 9
2 + x = 10
x + 8 = 18
12 - x = 10
15 - x = 10
x - 5 = 15
3x = 9
4x = 16
Answers: x = 5, x = 8, x = 10, x =2, x = 5, x = 20, x = 3, x = 4
For more practice, complete this worksheet: Solving for X.