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

  1. 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:

$$ 2x = -13 $$

  1. 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.

AI-generated content may contain errors. Please verify critical information

Thank you for voting!
Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Browser