7th grade math help @iGreen

Question

anonymous · Answer

What is the value of b?
–7b = –42

igreen · Answer

Okay, we want to get rid of the -7 that's being multiplied with $b$. So what are we going to do to both sides?

anonymous · Answer

multiplying???

igreen · Answer

No it's BEING multiplied by $b$.

To keep the balance you have to do the opposite..and what's the opposite of multiplying?

anonymous · Answer

is the answer -6 because 7-*6- = -42:)

igreen · Answer

Almost.

$-7b = -42$

You have to DIVIDE -7 to both sides, because it's being MULTIPLIED. And dividing is the OPPOSITE of multiplying.

When you divide -7 to both sides:

$\dfrac{-7b}{-7} = \dfrac{-42}{-7}$

Dividing $-7 \div -7$ will give you 1, so $b$ will be by itself.

Dividing $-42 \div -7$ will give you 6, so 6 will be by itself on the other side.

So we have $b = 6$