SOLUTION: I am in college Prealgebra and Introductory Algebra. This Greek to me and I seriously need some help. I am not understanding very well. I can figure out most of my homework, but

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Question 365093: I am in college Prealgebra and Introductory Algebra. This Greek to me and I seriously need some help. I am not understanding very well. I can figure out most of my homework, but on test I freeze and fail them. The question I have is how do you work a problem like -4x = 20-(-4) ?
Found 3 solutions by irla, ewatrrr, lenny460:
Answer by irla(2)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
-4x = 20-(-4)
= 20 + 4 ( minus a minus number creates a positive number)
-4x = 24 (Solve for x by dividing both sides of the equation to keep equation equal,by -4)
x = 24/-4
x = -6 (positive divided by negative creates a negative number)
Answer by ewatrrr(24785)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Hi, 

*Note: to solve for x, we need to isolate x on one side of the equal sign

also note,for ex : (-1)*(-2) = +2  and 1*(-2) = -2 for ex

-4x = 20-(-4)

-4x = 20 + (-1)(-4)

-4x = 20 + 4

-4x = 24

dividing both sides of the equation by -4

-4x/-4 = 24/-4 

x = -6 

Answer by lenny460(1073)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
 I am in college Pre Algebra and Introductory Algebra.  This Greek to me and I seriously need some help.  I am not understanding very well.  I can figure out most of my homework, but on test I freeze and fail them.  The question I have is how do you work a problem like -4x = 20-(-4) ?





-4x = 20 - (-4)



negative times negative in Algebra is always positive.



20 - (-4) = 20 + 4 = 24



Therefore:



-4x = 24



Divide each side by -4



-4x/-4 = 24/-4



x = -6



 

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