Consider this question: Solve the following for x :
Too many students get used to just canceling (i.e. simplifying) things to make their life easier. So, the biggest mistake in solving this kind of equation is to cancel an x from both sides to get,
While,x = 1 is a solution, there is another solution that we’ve missed. Can you see what it is?Here’s the correct way to solve this equation. First get everything on one side then factor!
Clearly x = 0 will work in the equation and so is a solution!
Clearly x = 0 will work in the equation and so is a solution!
