3u - 1 = 17
Understand the Problem
The question is asking us to solve the equation 3u - 1 = 17 for the variable u. This involves isolating u by moving terms around and performing algebraic operations.
Answer
$u = 6$
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is $u = 6$.
Steps to Solve
-
Add 1 to both sides
To isolate the term with $u$, we start by adding 1 to both sides of the equation to eliminate the -1.
$$ 3u - 1 + 1 = 17 + 1 $$
This simplifies to:
$$ 3u = 18 $$ -
Divide both sides by 3
Next, we divide both sides of the equation by 3 to solve for $u$.
$$ \frac{3u}{3} = \frac{18}{3} $$
This simplifies to:
$$ u = 6 $$
The final answer is $u = 6$.
More Information
The solution indicates that when you substitute $u = 6$ back into the original equation, both sides will equal 17, confirming that it is a valid solution.
Tips
- Forgetting to perform the same operation on both sides of the equation can lead to incorrect answers. Always ensure that every operation is applied uniformly.
- Miscalculating when adding or dividing. Double-check simple arithmetic to avoid mistakes.
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