Question

Consider the equation you circled as having one solution. What does it mean if an equation has one solution. (This is a 8th grade math question about solving linear equations)
Answer in a 8th graders words

Answer 1

If an equation has one solution, it means there is exactly one value you can put in for the variable that makes the two sides equal. No other number will work.

Say you have 2x + 3 = 7. If you solve it you get x = 2. That is the one solution — only x = 2 makes the equation true. If you try x = 3 or x = 1, the left and right sides won’t match.

Quick checks and contrasts:
- One solution: after solving you get a single value (like x = 2).
- No solution: you get a false statement with no variable left (like 5 = 3), so nothing makes it true.
- Infinitely many solutions: you get a true statement with no variable left (like 5 = 5), so every number works.

So “one solution” just means exactly one number makes the equation true.