what is the first step in solving for x in the equation 9.8(x-2.14)=53.9

multipy both sides by 9.8
divide both sides by 9.8
add 2.14 from both sides
divide only the left-hand side by 9.8

1 answer

The first step in solving for \( x \) in the equation \( 9.8(x - 2.14) = 53.9 \) is to divide both sides by 9.8. This isolates the expression on the left side.

So, you would start by dividing both sides by 9.8:

\[ x - 2.14 = \frac{53.9}{9.8} \]

After this step, you can proceed to solve for \( x \).