A man weighs 100 kilograms plus half its own mass. What is his total mass?
$${\mathtt{M}} = {\mathtt{100}}{\mathtt{\,\small\textbf+\,}}{\frac{{\mathtt{M}}}{{\mathtt{2}}}}$$
$${\mathtt{M}}{\mathtt{\,-\,}}{\frac{{\mathtt{M}}}{{\mathtt{2}}}} = {\mathtt{100}}$$
$${\frac{{\mathtt{2}}{M}}{{\mathtt{2}}}}{\mathtt{\,-\,}}{\frac{{\mathtt{M}}}{{\mathtt{2}}}} = {\mathtt{100}}$$
$${\frac{{\mathtt{M}}}{{\mathtt{2}}}} = {\mathtt{100}}$$
$${\mathtt{M}} = {\mathtt{200}}$$
.Let M be the mass. Then
M = 100 + M/2
Subtract M/2 from both sides
M/2 = 100
Multiply both sides by 2
M = 200 kg (Heavy man!)
.
$${\mathtt{M}} = {\mathtt{100}}{\mathtt{\,\small\textbf+\,}}{\frac{{\mathtt{M}}}{{\mathtt{2}}}}$$
$${\mathtt{M}}{\mathtt{\,-\,}}{\frac{{\mathtt{M}}}{{\mathtt{2}}}} = {\mathtt{100}}$$
$${\frac{{\mathtt{2}}{M}}{{\mathtt{2}}}}{\mathtt{\,-\,}}{\frac{{\mathtt{M}}}{{\mathtt{2}}}} = {\mathtt{100}}$$
$${\frac{{\mathtt{M}}}{{\mathtt{2}}}} = {\mathtt{100}}$$
$${\mathtt{M}} = {\mathtt{200}}$$