Solve 6x + 4 = 4

Step by step

The question

Question: solve 6x + 4 = 4.

We want x by itself.

Two things are stuck to x: times 6 and + 4.

The + 4 is on the outside, so it comes off first.

Then the times 6.

1 Remove the + 4

To remove + 4, we take away 4.

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.

+ 4 and − 4 make zero.

Cross them out.

4 − 4 = 0.

Now we have 6x = 0.

2 Remove the 6

6x means 6 times x.

We want just x.

To remove times 6, we divide by 6.

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

6 divided by 6 is 1.

So just x is left.

0 divided by 6 is 0.

So x = 0!

3 Check

Let's check: put 0 in place of x.

We get 4, the same as the right side.

So x = 0 is right!

Let's look back.

First: remove the + 4.

Then: remove the 6.

Last: check.