Solve 2x + 1 = 2x + 3

Step by step

The question

Question: solve 2x + 1 = 2x + 3.

1 Get x on one side

There is x on both sides.

We want x on one side only.

So we remove the 2x from the right side.

To remove 2x, we take away 2x.

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.

2x and − 2x make zero.

Cross them out.

2x − 2x = 0.

Now we have 1 = 3.

The x parts are gone.

1 = 3 is never true.

So no number works.

There is no solution.