If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

Main content

# Creating an equation with infinitely many solutions

CCSS.Math:

## Video transcript

We're asked to use the drop-down to form a linear equation with infinitely many solutions. So an equation with infinitely many solutions essentially has the same thing on both sides, no matter what x you pick. So first, my brain just wants to simplify this left-hand side a little bit and then think about how I can engineer the right-hand side so it's going to be the same as the left no matter what x I pick. So right over here, if I distribute the 4 over x minus 2, I get 4x minus 8. And then I'm adding x to that. And that's, of course, going to be equal to 5x plus blank. And I get to pick what my blank is. And so 4x plus x is 5x. And of course, we still have our minus 8. And that's going to be equal to 5x plus blank. So what could we make that blank so this is true for any x we pick? Well, over here we have 5 times an x minus 8. Well, if we make this a minus 8, or if we subtract 8 here, or if we make this a negative 8, this is going to be true for any x. So if we make this a negative 8, this is going to be true for any x you pick. You give me any x, you multiply it by 5 and subtract 8, that's, of course, going to be that same x multiplied by 5 and subtracting 8. And if you were to try to somehow solve this equation, subtract 5x from both sides, you would get negative 8 is equal to negative 8, which is absolutely true for absolutely any x that you pick. So let's go-- let me actually fill this in on the exercise. So I want to make 5-- it's going to be 5x plus negative 8.