Susan S. answered • 09/02/12
K-12 Tutor + beginning college English and essay Tutor
To begin, you must put all variables on one side of the equation, and all non variables on the other side:
2p - 5p = 8 + 4
**Note that when switching the positive 5p to the other side of the equation, the sign becomes negative. Likewise, when switching the -4 to the opposite side of the equation, it becomes a +4. Whenever you switch sides of the equation, the sign (negative or positive) changes as well.
Next, simplify each side of the equation from above:
-3p = 12
Here, the variable "p" is being multiplied by the number -3. In order to get the variable by itself, you must do the opposite. Therefore, you would divide by -3. **However, what you do to one side of the equation, you must do to the other:
-3p / -3 = 12 / -3
Simplify each side:
p = -4
