WAEC 2023 Mathematics · Question 35

make x the subject of the relation y=ax3−b3zy = \frac{ax^3 - b}{3z}

Options

  1. A.x =  3ax3−b3z\sqrt[3] \frac{ax^3 - b}{3z}
  2. B.x =  33yz−ba\sqrt[3] \frac{3yz - b}{a}
  3. C.x =  33yz+ba\sqrt[3] \frac{3yz + b}{a}
  4. D.x =  33yzba\sqrt[3] \frac{3yzb}{a}

Answer: C. x =  33yz+ba\sqrt[3] \frac{3yz + b}{a}

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: We need to rearrange y = (ax³ − b)/(3z) so that x stands alone on one side.

Concept: To change the subject, undo the operations around x in reverse order: first the division, then the subtraction, then the multiplication by a, and finally the cube.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Start with: y = (ax³ − b)/(3z)
  2. Multiply both sides by 3z: 3yz = ax³ − b
  3. Add b to both sides: 3yz + b = ax³
  4. Divide both sides by a: x³ = (3yz + b)/a
  5. Take the cube root of both sides: x = ∛[(3yz + b)/a]

Checking the options:

  • A: Still has x on the right-hand side, so it is not a valid answer.
  • B: Has −b, but we added b, so it is wrong.
  • C: x = ∛[(3yz + b)/a], which matches our result.
  • D: Multiplies by b instead of adding, so it is wrong.

Tip: Whenever you move a term across the equals sign, reverse its operation: subtraction becomes addition, and multiplication becomes division. Always do the addition or subtraction before dividing by the coefficient. Also, a quick check is that the answer should never contain the subject (x) on both sides.

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