Chapter 1 - Foundations for Algebra - 1-8 An Introduction to Equations - Practice and Problem-Solving Exercises - Page 57: 60

x=5.5; this is between the integers 5 and 6.

In order to solve this algebraic expression, we must isolate the variable. A variable is the letter in the problem (for instance, in the equation x+2=10, x is the variable). Because addition and subtraction are inverse operations (they cancel each other out), we know we must add when a number is being subtracted from the variable and subtract when a number is being added to the variable. In the equation 17=6+2x, we must get rid of the 6, which is on the same side as x, in order to solve. Thus, we subtract 6 on both sides of the equation to find that 2x=11. We divide by two on both sides to get x alone and find that x=5.5.