How do you solve #-x-3=1#?

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Answer 1 · 2016-01-26T09:49:34

#x=-4,-x=4#

#-x-3=1#

#rarr-x-3=1#

#rarr-x=1+3=4#

#So,-x=4,x=-4#

Answer 2 · 2016-02-03T16:00:11

A very slightly different way of saying the same thing!

#x=-4#

Given: #-x-3=1#
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#color(blue)("Objective")#

#color(brown)("To end up with ( +x ) on one side of the equals sign and everything")##color(brown)("else on the other side.")#

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#color(blue)("Multiply everything by (-1)")#

#+x+3=-1#

#color(blue)("Subtract 3 from both sides")#

#x +3-3 = -1-3#

#x+0=-4#

#x=-4#

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#color(purple)("Shortcut method")#

Given: #-x-3=1#

Using the rule that for + or - swapping sides of the equals sign changes the sign of the value.

#x=-3-1 #

#x=-4#