document.write( "Question 104441: 4a+3-a=-7+2+a.....The directions say to simplify these type of equations...and i am not sure how to solve them...Could you please help me? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #75981 by coyote(32) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
To simplify,just combine as many like terms as possible to come up with a solution.
\n" ); document.write( "4a+3-a=-7+2+a
\n" ); document.write( "Step 1 - combine all like terms on each side of the = sign, so on the left you you have $\"4a+-+a\"$ and on the right you have $\"-7+%2B+2\"$ , which would leave you with
\n" ); document.write( " $\"3a%2B3=-5%2Ba\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Step 2 - now combine like terms across the = sign. Whatever you do on one side, you do the same exact thing on the other. So let's start by subtracting 3 from both sides to isolate the first \"a\" variable
\n" ); document.write( " $\"3a%2B3+-3+=+-5%2Ba+-3\"$ which gives us $\"3a=-8%2Ba\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Step 3 - now we want to get all the \"a\" variables on the same side of the = sign, so we'll subtract that from both sides $\"3a+-a+=+-8%2Ba+-a\"$ gives us $\"2a=-8\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Step 4 - Now you solve for \"a\" by dividing both sides by 2, so $\"a=-4\"$
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