Question 710203
<pre>
-12x = 72

You want just x on the left, so you need to divide -12x by
-12 so that the -12's will cancel out and leave just x.
But if we divide the left side by -12 we must also divide
the right side by -12:

{{{(-12x)/(-12)}}} = {{{72/(-12)}}}

Cancel and get x on the left side and we divide top and
bottom of {{{72/(-12)}}} and get -6

{{{(cross(-12)x)/(cross(-12))}}} = {{{cross(72)^(-6)/(cross(-12))}}}

     x = -6

Edwin</pre>