Question

How do you solve `-14=2/5(9-2b)`?

Answer 1

`b = 22`

Explanation:

While we could use the distributive property and multiply the `2/5` into the bracket, this is not the best approach, because we will just have to divide by `2/5` later.

Get rid of the `2/5` from the right side completely. `xx 5/2`

`-14 color(red)(xx5/2)=color(red)(5/2xx)2/5(9-2b)`

`cancel(-14)^(-7) color(red)(xx5/cancel2)=color(red)(cancel5/cancel2xx)cancel2/cancel5(9-2b)`

`-35 = 9-2b`

`2b= 9+35`
`2b = 44`
`b = 22`