How do I solve this? -5(4x+1) =15 Thank you
-20 x - 5 = 15
-20 x = 20
x = -1
or, you can divide first:
-5(4x+1) =15
4x+1 = -3
4x = -4
x = -1
Damon's way is nice if you expect to run into awkward fractions by doing the division first.
To solve the equation, -5(4x+1) = 15, you can follow these steps:
Step 1: Distribute the -5 to the terms inside the parentheses:
-5 * 4x = -20x
-5 * 1 = -5
The equation becomes: -20x - 5 = 15
Step 2: Move the constant term to the other side of the equation by adding 5 to both sides:
-20x - 5 + 5 = 15 + 5
-20x = 20
Step 3: Divide both sides of the equation by the coefficient of x, which is -20:
-20x / -20 = 20 / -20
x = -1
So, the solution to the equation -5(4x+1) = 15 is x = -1.