Solving a linear equation

3x = 12 is a simple linear equation.

Please be more specific: what don't you get?
 
3x=12 asks the question 3 times what equals 12. The x is the what and the what must be 4 (since only 3*4=12). So x=4
 
algabre y78y said:
What is 3x=12 can you help me please I don't get it
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One of the first things you learn in solving these equations is to get x on one side of the equation all by itself. In other words we want
x = (something)

So you have "3x" on the LHS. You want it in the form (1)x = x = (something) What do you need to multiply 3 by in order to get 1?

-Dan
 
3x means 3 times x. The multiplication sign is left out because it looks like the letter x. (3 x x is confusing)

So 3x = 12 means "3 times something equals 12". Often we are asked to "solve for x" which means what number can we substitute for x so that the equation is true. In this case x=4 because 3 times 4 equals 12.
 
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