Dark sky lake has 4,000 fish 80% of them are considered "small" and are returned to the lake when caught how many small fish must be removed from the lake so that the percent of small fish in the lake is reduced to 75%

starting with:    

5 + x - 12 = 2x - 7   

5 + x - 12 - x = 2x - 7 - x (subtract x from both sides)   

5 - 12 = x - 7 (combine and cancel x's from both sides)   

5 - 12 + 7 = x - 7 + 7 (add 7 to both sides)   

0 = x (add numbers together on both sides)       

so in order for the equation to be true, x must be 0.   

trying x = -0.5   

5 + x - 12 = 2x - 7 (original equation)   

5 + -0.5 - 12 = 2(-0.5) - 7 (plug in value of x)   

5 + -0.5 - 12 = -1 - 7 (did multiplication)   

-7.5 = -8 (did addition on both sides)       

since -7.5 is obviously not equal to -8, the value of -0.5 for x is wrong.   

trying x = 0   

5 + x - 12 = 2x - 7 (original equation)   

5 + 0 - 12 = 2(0) - 7 (plug in value of x)   

5 + 0 - 12 = 0 - 7 (did multiplication)   

-7 = -7 (did addition on both sides)       

since -7 equals -7, that demonstrates that the value of 0 for x is correct.   

trying x = 1   

5 + x - 12 = 2x - 7 (original equation)   

5 + 1 - 12 = 2(1) - 7 (plug in value of x)   

5 + 1 - 12 = 2 - 7 (did multiplication)   

-6 = -5 (did addition on both sides)       

since -6 is obviously not equal to -5, the value of 1 for x is wrong.