Question

Solve for a
24a+48=18a-36

Answer 1

Try not to have funny looking numbers on separate sides. They like to be together.
24a + 48 = 18a - 36.
24 is larger than 18, so I'd prefer to move the 18 to the left side.
24a - 18a + 48 = -36.
6a + 48 = -36.
Unfortunately, we're going to have to subtract the 48, so we'll need to do -36 - 48, which is the same thing as -36 + -48, and that equals -84.
6a = -84
a=-84/6
a=-14