Question

Solving algebraic equations: 5n+1 What do I do to solve this?

Answer 1

Explanation:

The given expression is not an equation. There is nothing that can be solved.

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An equation has an equal sign between its left side and its right side. Solving it means finding a value for the variable (or variables) such that the equation is true.

For example, we might have ...

  5n +1 = 1

Your familiarity with math facts means you know that ...

  0 +1 = 1

In order for the term 5n to have a value of 0, the value of n must be 0 in this equation. The solution to 5n+1 = 1 is n = 0, because 5×0 + 1 = 1 is a true statement.

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An expression can be evaluated. To do that, put the value you want the variable to be every place you see the variable, then do the arithmetic.

To evaluate 5n+1 for n=6 we put 6 in place of n:

  5×6 +1

Doing the arithmetic, we get ...

  = 30 +1 = 31

The value of 5n+1 for n=6 is 31.