(Solved) Explain the difference between simplifying an expression and solving an equation.?

julie.t

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11 years ago

Explain the difference between simplifying an expression and solving an equation.?

Explain the difference between simplifying an expression and solving an equation. Give an example of each. Best explanation and examples gets 10 points!

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juliatong

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11 years ago

ok...

Simplifying is just breaking the expression down to a simpler form...there may not be an actual answer...there may not even be a question

solving an equation is comming up with an answer

4/8 = 1/2 simplified
1+2=3 solved

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rla0705

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11 years ago

simplifying brings the equation down to simplest form

solving gets you an answer

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fiyaharrow

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11 years ago

solving an equation results with an answer for "x" or whatever, and simplifying is just putting an equation in it's simplest form: like from "33-31+x=1" to "x+2=1

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fitzsimmonss

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11 years ago

Simplifying would be making it easier to understand. Example: 1+2+3+4+1x3= then simplifying it would be 11x3=

Solving it would be stating the answer is 33.

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rl93

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11 years ago

Simplifying an expression would be changing 3x+2x+3-6 to 5x-3. solving an equation would be finding out the value of the variable(s), such as taking an equation like 5x-2=8 and determining that x=2

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buggingout16

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11 years ago

Solving equation is when you try to FIND x or y or whatever
Simplifying an equation is when you try to get an expression to get as small as possible(Ex. 10x+2x-1 =simplified= 12x-1) it can get much much more complicated.

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fitzgeralds

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11 years ago

simplify is breaking it down i.e. 2x+2y=2v div all by 2 and that would make it simplified. its harder in dif level math courses but the idea is the same. solving an equation could use the same equation i.e. "solve for y" 2x+2y=2v single out the answer... 2x=-2y=2v div by 2... x=v-y... simple as that

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Fitzwell

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11 years ago

Here are some definitions-
Simplifying- For example, if you have 50/100, simplifying it would be turning it into 1/2. So, you are reducing it.
Solving- For example, if 2 plus 2 was the question, solving it would be figuring it out and then coming up with the answer 4.

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_biology

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11 years ago

simplifying an answer is when you combine like terms.
you usually simplify in algebra.
ex:
8x-3+5x+4=27
to simplify you would say
13x(because you combine the 5x and the 8x)+1(because you combine the 4 and the -3. its just like saying 4-3)=27
so 13x+1=27

solving an equation means to answer the question. giving the answer to 5-4 is the same thing as solving an equation. simplifying doesn't solve an equation.

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Five1s

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#10

11 years ago

An equation has an equal sign,but an expression does not.

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BuggerFormic

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#11

11 years ago

When you simplify an expression you are just re-arranging it to put it in a more easily solvable form or its simplest form. One example of this is putting a fraction in its lowest common denominator. When you solve an equation you are solving for a variable.

Simplifying: x^2-6x+4x-24 = 0

x^2-6x+4x-24 = x^2-2x-24 = (x+4)(x-6)

(x+4)(x-6)=0

Solving this equation you get

x = -4 or 6

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juliax3rose

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#12

11 years ago

expressions cannot be solved, only simplified.

equations must be solved for a certain variable

for example, if you were given an expression of 2+8x-4x+7, you would simplify it to 4x+9

if you were given an equation like 51=7x+4-2, and told to SOLVE FOR X, or any variable (which is the ideal of all equations) then you would follow these steps:

51=7x+4-2 (add two to both sides to get x by itself)
53=7x+4 (subtract 4 from both sides again to isolate x)
49 = 7x (divide by seven on both sides to isolate x completely)
7=x, or x=7

understand?

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buggingout16

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#13

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11 years ago

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Explain the difference between simplifying an expression and solving an equation.?

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