Question

I have a very hard question (for myself...)
x-2[x-3(x+4)-5]=3{2x-[x-8(x-4)]}-2
please help :-)

Answer 1

ok, let's see

Answer 2

\[x-2[x-3(x+4)-5] = 3(2x-[x-8(x-4)])-2\]

wow, lots of groups!

Answer 3

ok, so let's think about what the goal is, the goal is unite the groups on each side then solve for x

Answer 4

yes

Answer 5

x=6

Answer 6

??? that fast?

Answer 7

adfriedman, nice but so fast!

Answer 8

it was just expanding brackets

Answer 9

right, ok fastff, a good approach could be to work from the inside out

Answer 10

focus on the left side:

x−2[x−3(x+4)−5]

Answer 11

so let's start in the middle of this with 3(x+4)...can you expand this please?

Answer 12

to 3x+12

Answer 13

nice. so the equation is now x−2[x−(3x+12)−5] = x-2[x-3x-12-5]

Answer 14

the really quick approach is to note that only constants multiply the bracketed terms

Answer 15

ok, now simplify the expression with the [ ... ]

Answer 16

-3x+12x-5?

Answer 17

or -3x-12x-5?

Answer 18

-15x-5?

Answer 19

almost...forgot about the x

Answer 20

so you have x-3x-12-5....ok

Answer 21

simplify this: start with the x-terms

Answer 22

aren't we suppose to distribute?

Answer 23

distribute what?

Answer 24

so inside the [ ] you have x-3x-12-5 which becomes -2x-17, right?

Answer 25

fastff, how's it going?