How do you solve the equation #(b+4)/-2=-17#?

1 Answer
May 13, 2017

#b=30#

Explanation:

We can undo the fact that #b+4# is divided by #-2# by multiplying both sides by #-2#.

#-2((b+4)/(-2))=(-17)(-2)#

The fractions in the left-hand side can be manipulated to show that the effect of multiplying both sides by #-2# is to have the introduced #-2# cancel with the preexisting #-2# as #1#:

#(-2)/(-2)(b+4)=(-17)(-2)#

#b+4=(-17)(-2)#

Note that #17xx2=34#. Since we have a negative multiplied by a negative, the result will be positive.

#b+4=34#

Subtract #4# from both sides of the equation:

#b+4-4=34-4#

#b=30#