Use the following step as a guide to solve the following equation. Write out your work for all steps to solve the equation. 2x - 5 = 3(4x + 5)

1 answer

To solve the equation \( 2x - 5 = 3(4x + 5) \), follow these steps:

Step 1: Expand the right side of the equation

Distribute \( 3 \) on the right-hand side:

\[ 3(4x + 5) = 3 \cdot 4x + 3 \cdot 5 = 12x + 15 \]

So, the equation becomes:

\[ 2x - 5 = 12x + 15 \]

Step 2: Move the \( x \) terms to one side

To do this, we can subtract \( 2x \) from both sides of the equation:

\[ 2x - 2x - 5 = 12x - 2x + 15 \]

This simplifies to:

\[ -5 = 10x + 15 \]

Step 3: Move the constant terms to the opposite side

Next, subtract \( 15 \) from both sides:

\[ -5 - 15 = 10x + 15 - 15 \]

This simplifies to:

\[ -20 = 10x \]

Step 4: Solve for \( x \)

Now, we can divide both sides by \( 10 \):

\[ x = \frac{-20}{10} \]

This simplifies to:

\[ x = -2 \]

Step 5: Verify the solution

To ensure our solution is correct, substitute \( x = -2 \) back into the original equation:

Starting with the left side:

\[ 2(-2) - 5 = -4 - 5 = -9 \]

Now let's evaluate the right side using \( x = -2 \):

\[ 3(4(-2) + 5) = 3(-8 + 5) = 3(-3) = -9 \]

Both sides equal \(-9\), so the equation holds true.

Final Answer:

The solution to the equation \( 2x - 5 = 3(4x + 5) \) is

\[ \boxed{-2} \]