document.write( "Question 831056: In problems like (-31xm) + -2 =618 why do you bring the -2 over first? I can't figure out why sometimes it is the parenthesis and sometimes just the number. I thought it was order or operations but this doesn't seem to apply, it is not the parenthesis or the times part. It is the adding/subtracting you do first. How do you know???? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #501109 by Edwin McCravy(20060) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!

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document.write( "You're right that the order of operations for solving an equation\r\n" );
document.write( "is not PEMDAS\r\n" );
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document.write( "1. Are there any parentheses? If so, remove them with the distributive property.\r\n" );
document.write( "2. Are there any like terms?  If so combine them.\r\n" );
document.write( "3. Is there a constant terms on the left side? If, so, get it off\r\n" );
document.write( "   the left side and get its opposite on the right side.\r\n" );
document.write( "4. Are there any like terms?  If so, combine them.\r\n" );
document.write( "5. Is there a variable term on the right side? Is so, get it off\r\n" );
document.write( "   the right side and get its opposite on the left side.\r\n" );
document.write( "6. Are there any like terms?  If so, combine them.\r\n" );
document.write( "7. Is there only one variable term on the left and only one constant term on   \r\n" );
document.write( "   the right? If so, and it's coefficient is not a fraction, divide both\r\n" );
document.write( "   sides by that coefficient.  If the coefficient is a fraction, multiply\r\n" );
document.write( "   both sides by its reciprocal.\r\n" );
document.write( "8. Cancel the coefficient on the left and simplify whats on the right.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Example:\r\n" );
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document.write( "3(x + 1) + 5x = 5(2x - 3) + 10.\r\n" );
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document.write( "1.  Are there any parentheses? Yes, so we remove them with the distributive\r\n" );
document.write( "property.\r\n" );
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document.write( "3x + 3 + 5x = 10x - 15 + 10\r\n" );
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document.write( "2. Are there any like terms?  Yes so we combine them.\r\n" );
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document.write( "8x + 3 = 10x - 5\r\n" );
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document.write( "3. Is there a constant terms on the left side? Yes, there is a 3 on the\r\n" );
document.write( "left side, so we get it off the left side and get its opposite on the right side.\r\n" );
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document.write( "8x = 10x - 5 - 3\r\n" );
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document.write( "4. Are there any like terms?  Yes, so we combine them.\r\n" );
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document.write( "8x = 10x - 8\r\n" );
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document.write( "5. Is there a variable term on the right side? Yes, 10x. So we get it off\r\n" );
document.write( "   the right side and get its opposite on the left side.\r\n" );
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document.write( "8x - 10x = -8\r\n" );
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document.write( "6. Are there any like terms? Yes, so we combine them.\r\n" );
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document.write( "-2x = -8\r\n" );
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document.write( "7. Is there only one variable term on the left and only one constant term on   \r\n" );
document.write( "   the right? If so, and it's coefficient is not a fraction?  Yes so we divide\r\n" );
document.write( "   both sides by the coefficient -2 on the left.\r\n" );
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document.write( "   \r\n" );
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document.write( "8. We cancel the -2's on the left and simplify what's on the right to a \r\n" );
document.write( "   positive 4 because a negative divided by a negative is a positive\r\n" );
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document.write( "x = \r\n" );
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document.write( "Sometimes the coefficient is a fraction, and when we get to step 7,\r\n" );
document.write( "we multiply both sides by the reciprocal.  Like this:\r\n" );
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document.write( "Then we multiply both sides by the reciprocal of the coefficient\r\n" );
document.write( "which is  \r\n" );
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document.write( "Then we cancel on the left\r\n" );
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document.write( "x = 16\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin

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