Which is the solution to the equation 0.5 x + 4.2 = 5.9? Round to the nearest tenth if necessary.

0.9
3.4
5.1
20.2

1 answer

To solve the equation \( 0.5x + 4.2 = 5.9 \), we first isolate \( x \) by following these steps:

  1. Subtract 4.2 from both sides:

\[ 0.5x = 5.9 - 4.2 \]

Calculating the right side:

\[ 5.9 - 4.2 = 1.7 \]

So, we have:

\[ 0.5x = 1.7 \]

  1. Next, divide both sides by 0.5 to solve for \( x \):

\[ x = \frac{1.7}{0.5} = 3.4 \]

Thus, the solution to the equation \( 0.5x + 4.2 = 5.9 \) is:

\[ \boxed{3.4} \]