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Any variable multiplied by zero equals zero, so you can multiply both sides of the equation by zero, but you just destroy any form of a solution you may have. For example:

x = 5

x*0 = 5*0

0 = 0

Yup!

By the way, what is x?

Algebra is basically finding a missing variable or finding a relationship between many variables.

Multiplying by 0 removes information that is crucial to solving for variables.

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14y ago
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Wiki User

15y ago

Unless my math skills are failing me, you can.

Multiplying both sides of an equation by zero should make both sides equal to zero and it's a true statement to say 0 = 0.

For example, 3x + 2 = 5.

If you multiply both sides by zero, you'd get 0(3x + 2) = 0 * 5

Which comes out to 0 = 0.

This doesn't exactly help you solve the problem though, because you're eliminating the variable x.

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Q: Why can't you multiply both sides of the equation by zero?
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Why cant the zero product property be used to solve every quadratic equation?

If the discriminant of a quadratic equation is less than zero then it will not have any real roots.


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How do you solve equations approximately?

You have to isolate your variable to one side of the equation. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide when necessary. Sometimes you will get an approximate answer. This means you cant show all of the decimals. For exmaple lets say your variables equals 1/3. Well you cant possibly write 3 infinite because 1/3=0.333 (with infinite 3s). So you write approximately equal to 0.333 Also when you have a variable that is equal to pi (3.14159... etc) you cant possibly write the infinite amount of decimals for this so you write 3 or 4 decimals and then make sure you indicate it is approximate and not equal.


The width of a rectangle is 6 inches less than twice its length Find the dimension of the rectangle if its area is 108 square inches?

Imagine a rectangle, the width is called 'Y' and the length is 'X'. the area is X * Y (because the area of a rectangle is the width and the length multiplied) we know the area is 108 so: XY = 108 http://wiki.answers.com/Q/The_width_of_a_rectangle_is_6_inches_less_than_twice_its_length_Find_the_dimension_of_the_rectangle_if_its_area_is_108_square_inches so basically : Y = 2X - 6 now do simultaneuos equations Y = 2X - 6 XY = 108 you can substitute Y from the first equation into the second one so X(2X - 6) = 108 (now multiply out the brackets by timesing everything inside the brackets (2X - 6) by everything out side the brackets (X)...) i cant do 2xsquared for some reason 2XX - 6X = 108 (simplofy by dividing the equation by two as it is divisble by two) XX - 3X = 54 move 54 to the other side by taking 54 away from both sides XX - 3X - 54 = 0 factorise (X - 9)(X + 6) = 0 now either X - 9 = 0 or X + 6 = 0 because to get the product of 0 you must mutiply it by 0 try both out X - 9 = 0 OR X + 6 = 0 add 9 to both sides subtract 6 from both sides X = 9 X = -6 so X is either 9 or -6 ---- but as we are talking about lengths, X has to be 9 because lengths can not be negative so X = 9 the equation from the begining Y = 2X - 6 will help as we now know X substitute X Y = 2(9) - 6= 18 - 6= 12 X (the length) = 9 Y (the width) = 12 wahey! you know the dimensions!Let the width be (2x+6) and the length be x:width*length = area(2x-6)*x = 108 sq inches2x2-6x-108 = 0Solving the above quadratic equation works out as:x = -6 or x = 9 it must be the latter because dimensions can't be negative.Therefore: width = 12 inches and length = 9 inchesCheck: 12*9 = 108 square inches