How do you solve #4x - 5- 2x = 9#?

Question

915 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2017-08-01T02:09:39

See a solution process below:

Step 1) Group and combine like terms on the left side of the equation:

#4x - 2x - 5 = 9#

#(4 - 2)x - 5 = 9#

#2x - 5 = 9#

Step 2) Add #color(red)(5)# to each side of the equation to isolate the #x# term while keeping the equation balanced:

#2x - 5 + color(red)(5) = 9 + color(red)(5)#

#2x - 0 = 14#

#2x = 14#

Step 3) Divide each side of the equation by #color(red)(2)# to solve the equation for #x# while keeping the equation balanced:

#(2x)/color(red)(2) = 14/color(red)(2)#

#(color(red)(cancel(color(black)(2)))x)/cancel(color(red)(2)) = 7#

#x = 7#