Solve for x.
$\begin{array}{c}
-5(x-2)=-20 \\
x=[?]
\end{array}$
Answer (1)
Divide both sides of the equation by -5: x − 2 = 4 .
Add 2 to both sides: x = 4 + 2 .
Simplify to find the value of x.
The solution to the equation is 6 .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given the equation − 5 ( x − 2 ) = − 20 and our goal is to find the value of x that satisfies this equation.
Dividing Both Sides To isolate x , we first divide both sides of the equation by − 5 . This gives us: − 5 − 5 ( x − 2 ) = − 5 − 20
Simplifying the Equation Simplifying both sides, we get: x − 2 = 4
Adding to Both Sides Now, to solve for x , we add 2 to both sides of the equation: x − 2 + 2 = 4 + 2
Finding the Solution This simplifies to: x = 6 Therefore, the solution to the equation is x = 6 .
Examples
Imagine you're baking cookies and the recipe calls for a certain amount of sugar. If you accidentally add too much, you need to figure out how to adjust the other ingredients to balance the sweetness. This problem is similar to solving an equation where you need to isolate a variable (like the amount of sugar) by performing inverse operations to maintain the balance. Understanding how to solve such equations is crucial in many real-life situations, from cooking to managing finances.
