Solve 0.5x = 3

Step by step

The question

Question: solve 0.5x = 3.

1 Remove the decimals

Decimals are hard to work with.

Let's get rid of them.

We multiply every part by 10.

We do it on both sides.

Why both sides?

The = sign means both sides are the same amount.

If we change only one side, they are not the same any more.

Times 10 moves the point 1 place to the right.

10 × 0.5x = 5x.

10 × 3 = 30.

Write the answers.

No more decimals!

2 Remove the 5

5x means 5 times x.

We want just x.

To remove times 5, we divide by 5.

We do it on both sides, so they stay equal.

5 divided by 5 is 1.

So just x is left.

30 divided by 5 is 6.

So x = 6!

3 Check

Let's check: put 6 in place of x.

We get 3, the same as the right side.

So x = 6 is right!

Let's look back.

First: remove the decimals.

Then: remove the 5.

Last: check.