Linear Equations practice questions
Linear equation questions ask you to solve for a variable or to work out how many solutions an equation has. Isolate the variable with inverse operations; when the variable cancels out, compare what is left to tell whether there is no solution or infinitely many.
Linear Equations questions
Pick an answer before you look. Tapping a choice shows which one was right and opens the worked explanation, and a miss is remembered so Weak Skills can replay that skill. It stays in this browser.
- 1Linear equationsFoundation
If 3x + 5 = 23, what is the value of x?
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Answer: 6
Subtract 5 from both sides to get 3x = 18. Divide by 3, so x = 6.
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What is the value of x in (x + 3)/4 = 5?
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Answer: 17
Multiply both sides by 4: x + 3 = 20. Subtract 3 to get x = 17.
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What is the solution to 4 - 2x = 10?
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Answer: -3
Subtract 4 from both sides: -2x = 6. Divide by -2, so x = -3.
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What is the solution to 2(3x - 1) = 4x + 8?
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Answer: 5
Distribute to get 6x - 2 = 4x + 8. Subtract 4x and add 2 to get 2x = 10, so x = 5.
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What is the solution to 7 - 3(x - 1) = 1?
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Answer: 3
Distribute carefully: 7 - 3x + 3 = 1, so 10 - 3x = 1. Then -3x = -9 and x = 3. Writing 7 - 3x - 3 is the common slip.
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If 8 - 2x = 3x - 7, what is the value of x?
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Answer: 3
Collect the variable on the side that keeps it positive: adding 2x gives 8 = 5x - 7, then adding 7 gives 15 = 5x, so x = 3. Choosing that side first avoids a sign error later.
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What is the y-intercept of the line 3x - 5y = 20?
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Answer: -4
Set x = 0: -5y = 20, so y = -4. Rearranging into y = (3/5)x - 4 shows the same thing. Reading 20 off the equation forgets that it has not yet been divided by the coefficient of y.
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What is the solution to 3(x + 2) = 4x - 5?
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Answer: 11
Expanding gives 3x + 6 = 4x - 5. Subtracting 3x leaves 6 = x - 5, so x = 11. Check: 3(13) = 39 and 4(11) - 5 = 39.
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If 2x/3 = 8, what is the value of x?
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Answer: 12
Multiplying both sides by 3 gives 2x = 24, so x = 12. Multiplying by 3 without then halving gives 24, which is the step most often left out.
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What is the solution to 7 - 2x = x + 1?
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Answer: 2
Add 2x to both sides: 7 = 3x + 1. Subtract 1: 6 = 3x, so x = 2. Check: 7 - 4 = 3 and 2 + 1 = 3.
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What is the solution to 5(x - 2) = 3x + 10?
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Answer: 10
Expand first: 5x - 10 = 3x + 10. Subtract 3x and add 10: 2x = 20, so x = 10.
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What is the solution to (2x)/3 - 1 = 5?
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Answer: 9
Add 1 to both sides to get 2x / 3 = 6. Multiply by 3 to get 2x = 18, so x = 9.
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If (3x - 1)/2 = (x + 7)/3, what is the value of x?
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Answer: 17/7
Cross-multiply: 3(3x - 1) = 2(x + 7), so 9x - 3 = 2x + 14. Then 7x = 17 and x = 17/7.
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If 4(x + 2) - 3 = 2(x + 9), what is the value of x?
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Answer: 6.5
Distribute both sides: 4x + 8 - 3 = 2x + 18, so 4x + 5 = 2x + 18. Then 2x = 13 and x = 6.5.
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What is the solution to 2(x - 4) = 3x + 1?
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Answer: -9
Expanding gives 2x - 8 = 3x + 1. Subtracting 2x from both sides leaves -8 = x + 1, so x = -9. Check it: 2(-13) = -26 and 3(-9) + 1 = -26.
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What is the x-intercept of the line 5x - 2y = 20?
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Answer: 4
The x-intercept is where y = 0, so 5x = 20 and x = 4. Setting x to zero instead gives the y-intercept, -10, which is the commonest confusion here.
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What is the y-intercept of the line 3x + 2y = 12?
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Answer: 6
The y-intercept is where x = 0, so 2y = 12 and y = 6. Setting y to zero instead gives the x-intercept of 4, which is the usual confusion.
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Enter the solution to 5(x - 2) = 3x + 4.
Student-produced response: write your own answer rather than choosing one.
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Answer: 7
Expanding gives 5x - 10 = 3x + 4. Subtracting 3x leaves 2x - 10 = 4, so 2x = 14 and x = 7.
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More Algebra skills
- Proportional Relationships15
- Equivalent Expressions15
- Systems of Equations13
- Function Notation12
- Linear Functions11
- Linear Inequalities10
- Absolute Value10
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