How do I solve this equation?
a/5 - 1/5 = -2
multiply both sides by 5.
then add one to each side.
To solve the equation, follow these steps:
Step 1: Start by simplifying the left-hand side of the equation.
a/5 - 1/5 can be written as (a - 1)/5.
Step 2: Now that the equation is simplified, rewrite it:
(a - 1)/5 = -2.
Step 3: Next, multiply both sides of the equation by 5 to eliminate the fraction.
Multiply the left side by 5:
5 * (a - 1)/5 = -2 * 5.
Simplify the left side:
a - 1 = -10.
Step 4: To isolate the variable 'a', add 1 to both sides of the equation:
a - 1 + 1 = -10 + 1.
Simplify each side:
a = -9.
Therefore, the solution to the equation a/5 - 1/5 = -2 is a = -9.