a) 1/x + 1 / 3x = 6
3/3x + 1/3x = 6
[ 4] / 3x = 6 multiply both sides by 3x
4 = 18x divide both sides by 18
4/18 = x
2/9 = x
b) 1/x + 1 /x+1 = 3
[ x + 1 + x ] / [ x ( x + 1) ] = 3
[2x + 1 ] = 3 [ x ( x + 1) ]
2x + 1 = 3 [ x^2 + x]
2x + 1 = 3x^2 + 3x rearrange as
3x^2 + x - 1 = 0
Use the quad formula
x = [ -1 ±√ [ 1 - 4(3)(-1) ] / {2 * 3 ]
x = [ -1 ±√13] / 6
c) ( x +3 ) / ( x - 1) - x / (x + 1) = 8 / [ (x + 1) ( x - 1) ]
Multiply through by (x + 1) ( x - 1)
(x + 3)(x + 1) - x(x - 1) = 8 simplify
x^2 + 4x + 3 - x^2 + x = 8
4x + 3 + x = 8
5x + 3 = 8
5x = 5
x = 1
However....this makes a denominator = 0...so no solution exists