How do you solve 88w + - 89w - 33= 26?

1 Answer
Sep 6, 2017

w=59

Explanation:

w represents some number that we don't know.
(How cool is that?! Algebra lets us measure the unknown!!)

Okay, so we have 88w and we add -89w, which is to say we take away 89w's from our 88w's. This leaves us with -1w, or, more concisely, just -w.
So
-w-33=26

Add 33 to both sides, and you get
-w=59

Since an equation is like a balance (remember using those in science classes?), you can do anything to them as long as you do it to both sides.
Multiply both sides by -1, and
w=-59
And you're done!