Question

Simplify 5 – 2x – 3 + x.



x – 2


1

2 – 2x


2 – x

Answer 1

5-2x-3+x

5-2=3x

3x-3+x

3-x

x=1

Answer 2

5 – 2x – 3 + x.

if it help, you can think of this as
5 + -3 + -2x + x

any idea what 5+ -3 is ?

Answer 3

The answer was 2 – x

Answer 4

yes, but can you figure out how to get that answer ?

Answer 5

I don't quite know

Answer 6

can you do 5 + -3 ?

Answer 7

That would be 2

Answer 8

yes, 5+-3 (or 5 - 3) is 2

so you know the answer has a +2 in it.

Answer 9

now the
-2x + x
part

that is the same as
1x - 2x

you have 1 x and take away 2 x's
how many x's do you have ? (hint: it's negative)

Answer 10

you would have -1 x's

Answer 11

so that is the answer
-1x + 2
which you can write a few ways:
-x+2 (we usually don't bother to show the 1)
or
2+ -x
or
2 - x (we usually write 2+-x as 2-x because it is shorter)

Answer 12

Okay Thank you!