Place a 1 between the first negative sign and
the parenthesis that follows it:



Use the distributive principle to remove the 
parentheses:





Combine like terms:



Add 3x to both sides:

 

That is a FALSE numerical equation
(all variables cancelled out).  When 
this occurs there is no solution. So
you write "solution set = Ø"

Such an equation is called a
"contradiction". NO number substituted
for x will make it true.  NO NUMBER
is a solution.

-------------------------



Use the distributive principle to remove 
the parentheses:





Combine like terms:



Add 3x to both sides:

 

That is a TRUE numerical equation
(all variables cancelled out).  When 
this occurs the solution set is 
"all real numbers". So
you write "solution set = R"

Such an equation is called an "identity".
EVERY number substituted for x will make it
true. EVERY number is a solution.

Edwin