How do you solve 3(a + 2) + 5 = 2a + 4 ?

1 Answer
Apr 12, 2018

The solutions is a=-7.

Explanation:

Use the distributive property to expand the parentheses, then isolate a:

3(a+2)+5=2a+4

3a+6+5=2a+4

3a+11=2a+4

3a+11color(blue)-color(blue)11=2a+4color(blue)-color(blue)11

3acolor(red)cancelcolor(Black)(color(black)+11color(blue)-color(blue)11)=2a+4color(blue)-color(blue)11

3a=2a+4color(blue)-color(blue)11

3a=2a-7

3acolor(blue)-color(blue)(2a)=2a-7color(blue)-color(blue)(2a)

3acolor(blue)-color(blue)(2a)=color(red)cancelcolor(black)(2a)-7color(red)cancelcolor(blue)(color(blue)-2a)

3acolor(blue)-color(blue)(2a)=-7

a=-7

That's the solution. Hope this helped!