3(x-9)=3

multiply x and -9 by 3: 

3x-3*9=3

3x-27=3

add 27 to both sides:

3x=30

divide both sides by 3

x=10

Hi Juliet,

You could multiply the brackets out as Svetlana did above or you divide both sides of the equation by 3 (or multiply both by 1/3)  and you get the answer: x-9=1 is an equivalent equation. Remember equations are like seesaws: what you do to one side you need to do to the other to keep it equal.

You can then add 9 to both sides to isolate x and you get the same answer as you did in the first place: x=10.