document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=154685>Question 154685</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> 5b+2(b+1)=16 can you help solve the equation. What is the formula? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #113909 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=nerdybill><B>nerdybill(7384)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=nerdybill><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=nerdybill><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=113909\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> When you are \"solving\" something like:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5b+2(b+1)=16<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "What they are asking you to do is to \"isolate\" the unknown (in this case, b) to one side of the equation -- doesn't matter which side.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5b+2(b+1)=16<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Start by distributing the 2 to each term inside the parentheses:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5b+(2b+2)=16<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Combining like-terms on the left:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "7b+2 = 16<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Subtracting 2 from both sides:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "7b = 14<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Finally, divide both sides by 7:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b = 2 (this is your answer) </SPAN>\n" );
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