Complete the following equation so that it has no solutions:

5x-4=

1 answer

To make the equation \(5x - 4 = k\) have no solutions, you can set \(k\) to be a value that is impossible for \(5x - 4\) to equal.

For example, if you set:

\[ 5x - 4 = 5 \]

In this case, rearranging gives:

\[ 5x = 9 \ x = \frac{9}{5} \]

This has a solution. However, if you want to ensure there are no solutions, one method is to set the right side to something that is inconsistent with the left side.

A simple way to do this is to set:

\[ 5x - 4 = 5x + 1 \]

Rearranging gives:

\[ -4 = 1 \]

This statement is false and therefore has no solutions.

Alternatively, you could also set:

\[ 5x - 4 = -4 \]

which yields:

\[ 5x = 0 \ x = 0 \]

This has a solution, so you would need a contradiction.

So a final valid example where the left and right sides are never equal would be:

\[ 5x - 4 = 5x - 5 \]

This gives:

\[ -4 = -5 \]

This is false, indicating that the equation has no solutions.