How do you solve #4x - 2 = 2x + 8#?

2 Answers
Oct 22, 2016

#x=5#

Explanation:

#color(blue)(4x)color(red)(-2)=color(blue)(2x)+color(red)8#

Bring like terms to one side:

#4x-2x=8+2#

#2x=10#

Divide both sides by #2#:

#x=5#

Oct 22, 2016

#x = 5#

Explanation:

# 4x - 2 = 2x + 8 #

We eleminate 2x on the right by substracting 2x from each side.
Equivalently, we can add -2x to both sides.
#4x - 2 color(red)( -2x) = 2x color(red)(-2x) +8 #

Simplify
# 2x -2 = 8 #

Add 2 to each side.
# 2x-2 color(red)(+2 )= 8 color(red)(+2) #

#2x = 10 #

Multiply each side by 1/2
#2x color(red)(xx(1/2)) = 10 color(red)(xx 1/2#

#x =5#

Check !

# 4x - 2 = 2x + 8 # substitute x=5 into equation

#4(5) - 2 = 2(5) +8#
#20 - 2= 10 +8 #
#18 = 18#