Question

How do you solve `-( x - 5) = 5x - 1`?

Answer 1

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

First, remove the parenthesis on the left side of the equation being careful to manage the signs of the individual terms correctly:

`-x + 5 = 5x - 1`

Next, add `color(red)(x)` and `color(blue)(1)` to each side of the equation to isolate the `x` term while keeping the equation balanced:

`-x + color(red)(x) + 5 + color(blue)(1) = 5x + color(red)(x) - 1 + color(blue)(1)`

`0 + 6 = 5x + 1color(red)(x) - 0`

`6 = (5 + 1)color(red)(x)`

`6 = 6x`

Now, divide each side of the equation by `color(red)(6)` to solve for `x` while keeping the equation balanced:

`6/color(red)(6) = (6x)/color(red)(6)`

`1 = (color(red)(cancel(color(black)(6)))x)/cancel(color(red)(6))`

`1 = x`

`x = 1`