How do you solve for x in a(x-2)=b(4-x)?

1 Answer
Mar 20, 2016

We first get rid of the parentheses:

Explanation:

->ax-2a=4b-bx

Then all x's to one side by adding bx to both sides:
->ax+bx-2a=4b-cancel(bx)+cancel(bx)

Then add 2a to both sides to keep only x's on the left:
->ax+bx-cancel(2a)+cancel(2a)=2a+4b

Get the x's together:
->(a+b)x=2a+4b

Now divide by a+b:
->x=(2a+4b)/(a+b)or2xx(a+2b)/(a+b)