SOLUTION: this book is so hard to understand please help!!!! Thank you very much. Solve the following -2x = 3x + 4

Algebra ->  Linear-equations -> SOLUTION: this book is so hard to understand please help!!!! Thank you very much. Solve the following -2x = 3x + 4      Log On


   

Question 169963This question is from textbook elementary and Intermediate algebra concepts and application
: this book is so hard to understand please help!!!! Thank you very much.

Solve the following
-2x = 3x + 4 This question is from textbook elementary and Intermediate algebra concepts and application

Found 2 solutions by Alan3354, solver91311:
Answer by Alan3354(69443) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Solve the following
-2x = 3x + 4
--------------
Add 2x
0 = 5x + 4
Subtract 4
-4 = 5x
Divide by 5
x = -4/5

Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
-2x+=+3x+%2B+4

The first step in solving an equation like this is to get all of the terms containing a variable on one side of the equation, leaving the constant terms on the other side.

So let's add -3x to both sides of the equation, thus:

-2x-3x+=+3x+-+3x+%2B+4

-2x+-3x+=+-5x, so we can write:

+-5x+=+3x+-+3x+%2B+4

Also, 3x+-+3x+=+0, so we can write:

+-5x+=+4

The last step is to get rid of the coefficient on the variable. In this case, we can divide both sides of the equation by -5

+%28-5%29x%2F-5+=+4%2F%28-5%29

Since we know that %28-5%29%2F%28-5%29+=+1 we can write:

x=4%2F%28-5%29, which can also be written x=%28-4%29%2F5 or x=-4%2F5. Any of which are acceptable representations of the solution, though the last one is probably what your instructor wants.