5+x/8=-3 what is x

Question

 

solve the equation

Answer 1

5 + x/8 = -3                    Given

5 + x/8 - 5 = -3 - 5          Subtract 5 from each side

x/8 = -8                          Simplify

x/8 * 8 = -8 * 8              Multiply each side of the equation by 8

x = -64                           Simplify

 

Answer 2

5+x/8=-3.

The goal in every equation is to get x by itself so when we're done it looks like x = __answer__.  

Start by getting rid of the 5, which means we have to subtract it from the left side.  Now, and this is important to remember, whatever we do to one side of the equation we have to do the the other side to preserve equality.  We have to subtract 5 from -3 as well.  So the equation is as follows

5+x/8 = -3

-5          -5

0+x/8 = -8

So what we are left with is x/8=-8 (be careful to add the negatives correctly! Note: adding two negatives always equals a negative, but multiplying two negatives equals a positive).  Notice that we got zero by subtracting the 5, which is what we wanted.  If it were -5 in the equation, we would have added 5 to both sides.  Continuing on...

x/8=8

We want to get rid of the denominator.  We do this by multiplying by 8. Looking at the left side only, we get this below:

(    x  )   * 8 = x.   We have x by itself because 8/8 is one.

     8

Now the right side is simple.  Multiplying this side by 8 gives us 8x8 = 64.

 

The left side is x and the right side is 64, so all that's left is x=64. BOOM 64 is the answer.

As always, let's double check our answer by plugging in x for 64 in the original equation and solve.

5+64/-8 = -3

5+ -8 (that's negative 8!) = -3.  Side note here: you see a + and a - sign right next to one                    another. Adding a negative simply means you can subtract it so it reads like this: 

5-8=-3      Simple addition and you've got it!

-3=-3          The answer checks out!  Never forget to do your discount double check.  If you ever have any doubts about your answer, this will prove to you whether it was right or wrong. In this case, our answer works.  What a relief!

I hope this clears it up for you.  I tried explaining step by step because I know it's hard to know why you're doing things in math, so I hope this explains it!