How do you solve #-1.3( a - 6) = - 2.6#?

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Answer 1 · 2016-12-26T23:51:23

#a = 8#

First, you expand the term in parenthesis by multiplying each individual term within the parenthesis by #color(red)(-1.3)#:

#color(red)(-1.3)a + (color(red)(-1.3) * -6) = -2.6#

#-1.3a + 7.8 = -2.6#

Next, we can substract #color(blue)(7.8)# from each side of the equation to isolate the #a# term and keep the equation balanced:

#-1.3a + 7.8 - color(blue)(7.8) = -2.6 - color(blue)(7.8)#

#-1.3a + 0 = -10.4#

#-1.3a = -10.4#

Now, we can divide each side of the equation by #color(green)(-1.3)# to solve for #a# and keep the equation balanced:

#(-1.3a)/color(green)(-1.3) = (-10.4)/color(green)(-1.3)#

#(color(green)(cancel(color(black)(-1.3)))a)/cancel(color(green)(-1.3)) = 8#

#a = 8#