Solve for y: -12 = 3(y + 2) - 6y. Simplify your answer as much as possible.
Understand the Problem
The question is asking to solve the equation -12 = 3(y + 2) - 6y for the variable y and simplify the answer as much as possible.
Answer
The solution is \( y = 6 \).
Answer for screen readers
The solution for the equation is ( y = 6 ).
Steps to Solve
- Distribute the 3 First, distribute the 3 on the right side of the equation:
$$ -12 = 3(y + 2) - 6y $$
This expands to:
$$ -12 = 3y + 6 - 6y $$
- Combine like terms Next, combine the like terms on the right side:
$$ 3y - 6y + 6 = -12 $$
This simplifies to:
$$ -3y + 6 = -12 $$
- Isolate the term with y Now, subtract 6 from both sides of the equation:
$$ -3y = -12 - 6 $$
Which simplifies to:
$$ -3y = -18 $$
- Solve for y Finally, divide both sides by -3:
$$ y = \frac{-18}{-3} $$
This simplifies to:
$$ y = 6 $$
The solution for the equation is ( y = 6 ).
More Information
The value of ( y ) indicates that after substituting back into the original equation, both sides will equal, showing that the solution is correct. Solving linear equations is a fundamental concept in algebra, useful in various applications.
Tips
- Misdistributing: Ensure you distribute correctly; missing a term can lead to errors.
- Combining terms incorrectly: Always carefully combine like terms on each side.
- Sign errors: Be cautious with positive and negative signs when isolating variables.