document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1011859>Question 1011859</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Solve for x.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a+x=b<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The answer I got is x=b-a. When I checked my answer on a calculator that shows the steps it showed a-x=b and then switched it to x=-a+b for the final answer. Which answer is correct? If x=-a+b is the answer why when my answer is simpler? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #627664 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><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/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=627664\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-a%2Bb ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-a%2Bb\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b-a ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b-a\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > are equivalent expressions.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Start with <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-a%2Bb ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-a%2Bb\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. Use the commutative property to swap the terms \"-a\" and \"b\" to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%2B%28-a%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%2B%28-a%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. When you add on a negative, you're really subtracting. So <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b%2B%28-a%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b%2B%28-a%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > turns into <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b-a ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b-a\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >. All of this shows how <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-a%2Bb ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-a%2Bb\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b-a ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b-a\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > are equivalent. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );