2x + 5 = -8
Understand the Problem
The question is asking to solve the equation 2x + 5 = -8 for the variable x. We will isolate x by performing algebraic operations on both sides of the equation.
Answer
$x = -\frac{13}{2}$
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is ( x = -\frac{13}{2} ).
Steps to Solve
- Subtract 5 from both sides
To begin isolating $x$, we need to eliminate the constant term on the left side of the equation. We do this by subtracting 5 from both sides:
$$ 2x + 5 - 5 = -8 - 5 $$
This simplifies to:
$$ 2x = -13 $$
- Divide both sides by 2
Next, we want to solve for $x$ by dividing both sides of the equation by 2:
$$ \frac{2x}{2} = \frac{-13}{2} $$
This simplifies to:
$$ x = -\frac{13}{2} $$
The final answer is ( x = -\frac{13}{2} ).
More Information
The solution ( x = -\frac{13}{2} ) means that when you substitute (-\frac{13}{2}) back into the original equation, it will balance both sides.
Tips
- A common mistake is forgetting to apply the subtraction to both sides of the equation. Ensure that any operation performed on one side is also done on the other.
- Another mistake is incorrectly dividing or multiplying both sides by a number without considering the sign of that number.
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