Think of 4x - 1 = 15. What value of x would make 4x - 1 equal to 15?

Answer 1

To solve the equation 4x - 1 = 15, you need to isolate the variable x. First, add 1 to both sides of the equation to get rid of the constant -1:

4x - 1 + 1 = 15 + 1
4x = 16

Next, divide both sides of the equation by 4 to solve for x:

4x/4 = 16/4
x = 4

Therefore, the value of x that makes 4x - 1 equal to 15 is x = 4.

Answer 2

A geologist and has a laboratory full of rocks. He knows that each rock weighs exactly one pound (+1), and he would like to figure out how many rocks are in each crate. He places crates and rocks on a scale until they are balanced. Using his math skills, he is able to reason how many rocks are in each crate without having to look inside. Write an equation. Can you use mental math to see how many rocks are in each crate for each scenario?
The first balance scale has two wooden crates on the left side and one wooden crate on the right side. Additionally, there are four small weights on the left side and three small weights on the right side. The weights are evenly spaced along the balance beam, helping to achieve equilibrium between the two sides.