math help

[playforGod]

anyone solve this?

4/(x-4) + 3/(x+4) = 5/ xsquared = 16 solve for x

[ChrisV]

it has two equals signs in it

[WuTank]

well ... were is your god when you need him?

[playforGod]

someone posted this on a diiferent forum and it didnt make sense to me either, just thought some of the very intelligent folks at 2+2 might be able to figure it out...

[Schweitzer]

There is clearly an error in the equation. If 5/x^2 is equal to 16 then x is equal to Sqrt(5/16). If you plug that value into the left side it is not equal to 16 therefore there is either no solution or someone made a mistake typing the equation.

[GMontag]

[ QUOTE ]
anyone solve this?

4/(x-4) + 3/(x+4) = 5/ xsquared = 16 solve for x

[/ QUOTE ]

It probably was supposed to be 4/(x-4) + 3/(x+4) = 5/(x^2-16). That makes it an easily solveable middle-school-Algebra-text-like problem. (The answer would be x = 1/7, BTW.)

[Homer]

[ QUOTE ]
anyone solve this?

4/(x-4) + 3/(x+4) = 5/ xsquared = 16 solve for x

[/ QUOTE ]

Assuming the problem is actually...

4/(x-4) + 3/(x+4) = 5/(x^2-16)

1) Make the common denominator x^2-16 by multiplying the first fraction by (x+4)/(x+4) and the second by (x-4)/(x-4)

4(x+4)/(x-4)(x+4) + 3(x-4)/(x-4)(x+4) = 5/(x^2-16)

4x+16/(x^2-16) + 3x-12/(x^2-16) = 5/(x^2-16)

2) Drop denominators and simplify

4x+16 + 3x-12 = 5

7x + 4 = 5

7x = 1

x = 1/7 (as the other poster said)