Solve for x.
$\begin{array}{c}
4(x+2)=4 \\
x=[?]
\end{array}$
Answer (1)
Divide both sides of the equation by 4: x + 2 = 1 .
Subtract 2 from both sides: x = 1 − 2 .
Simplify the equation.
The solution is − 1 .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given the equation 4 ( x + 2 ) = 4 and we want to solve for x .
Simplifying the Equation First, we divide both sides of the equation by 4 to simplify it: 4 4 ( x + 2 ) = 4 4 x + 2 = 1
Isolating x Next, we subtract 2 from both sides of the equation to isolate x :
x + 2 − 2 = 1 − 2 x = − 1
Final Answer Therefore, the solution is x = − 1 .
Examples
Imagine you're sharing cookies with friends. You have 4 packs of cookies, and each pack contains x cookies plus 2 extra. If you have a total of 4 cookies, this equation helps you figure out how many cookies (x) are in each pack besides the 2 extra ones. This kind of problem-solving is useful in everyday situations where you need to distribute or calculate quantities.
