Question

When solving an equation, Drew's first step is shown below. Which property justifies Drew's first step?
Original Equation:
Original Equation:
minus, 5, x, minus, 3, equals, minus, 2
−5x−3=
−2
First Step:
First Step:
minus, 5, x, equals, 1
−5x=
1
Answer
Multiple Choice Answers
addition property of equality
associative property of multiplication
division property of equality
commutative property of addition

Answer 1

To determine which property justifies Drew's first step, let's look at the original equation and the first step.

The original equation is:
\[
-5x - 3 = -2
\]

Drew's first step is:
\[
-5x = 1
\]

This first step appears to involve adding 3 to both sides of the equation. Specifically:
\[
-5x - 3 + 3 = -2 + 3
\]

This simplifies to:
\[
-5x = 1
\]

The property that allows us to add the same value to both sides of an equation is the **addition property of equality**.

Thus, the correct answer is:
**addition property of equality**.