Question

When solving an equation, Drew's first step is shown below. Which property justifies Drew's first step?
Original Equation:
Original Equation:
minus, 4, x, minus, 3, equals, 4
−4x−3=
4
First Step:
First Step:
minus, 4, x, equals, 7
−4x=
7
Answer
Multiple Choice Answers
commutative property of multiplication
addition property of equality
commutative property of addition
division property of equality
Submit Answer

Answer 1

To determine which property justifies Drew's first step, let's analyze what he did. The original equation is:

\[
-4x - 3 = 4.
\]

In Drew's first step, he isolated the term \(-4x\) by adding 3 to both sides of the equation:

\[
-4x - 3 + 3 = 4 + 3
\]
which simplifies to

\[
-4x = 7.
\]

The key operation here is that Drew added 3 to both sides of the equation. This is justified by the **addition property of equality**, which states that if you add the same number to both sides of an equation, the equality is preserved.

The correct answer is: **addition property of equality.**