SOLUTION: The equation of a line is y= 1/2x - 6. If y= -8, then what is the value of x? I used the y= mx + b formula and plugged in the values giving to us in the world problem. Thus, I end

Question 1095662: The equation of a line is y= 1/2x - 6. If y= -8, then what is the value of x?
I used the y= mx + b formula and plugged in the values giving to us in the world problem. Thus, I end up with -8= -1/2x-6. Then I did what my math teacher called "opposite operation on the opposite side." Which means that I added 6 on both sides of the equal sign. The -6 and 6 cancel each other out, thus leaving the -1/2x by itself. On the other side of the equation, we add the 6 and -8 to get a -2. But this is where I wasn't 100% sure I did right. cause then I have -2 on side and -1/2x on the other. So would I divide both side by a positive 1/2? Cause when I divided both sides by a negative 1/2, I got x= 1, but on my online homework, it says that answer is wrong. can you help?
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, MathTherapy:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

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Answer by MathTherapy(10551) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The equation of a line is y= 1/2x - 6. If y= -8, then what is the value of x?
I used the y= mx + b formula and plugged in the values giving to us in the world problem. Thus, I end up with -8= -1/2x-6. Then I did what my math teacher called "opposite operation on the opposite side." Which means that I added 6 on both sides of the equal sign. The -6 and 6 cancel each other out, thus leaving the -1/2x by itself. On the other side of the equation, we add the 6 and -8 to get a -2. But this is where I wasn't 100% sure I did right. cause then I have -2 on side and -1/2x on the other. So would I divide both side by a positive 1/2? Cause when I divided both sides by a negative 1/2, I got x= 1, but on my online homework, it says that answer is wrong. can you help?

Yes, you're ALMOST correct up to this POINT: , but it should not be on the right side, but , instead.
. Now, just DIVIDE each side by , which is the same as MULTIPLYING each side by 2.
You should get:
It's not COMPLEX, and should take just a few seconds to solve.
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