Question

Michelle correctly solved a linear equation and the last line of her work was: 1 = 2
Which statement best describes the solution to the equation Michelle was solving?
The only solution is 1
The only solution is 2
The solutions are 1 and 2
The equation has infinitely many solutions
The equation has no solutions

Answer 1

Answer:

The equation has no solution

Step-by-step explanation:

Since the last line of her work resulted in

1 = 2 ← meaningless, then

This indicates the equation has no solution

Answer 2

The equation has no solutions.

If, after a correct and legit manipulation, an equation turns into a false statement, than the original equation had no solutions.

It's easy to build an example: start with the equation

$x+1=x+2$

It is clear that this equation has no solutions: we can't get the same result by adding 1 and 2 to the same number! In fact, we can subtract x from both sides (which is a totally legit operation) and get

$1=2$

Which is a false statement, reflecting the fact that the equation had no solutions to begin with.