Solve a problem

Linear equationsAlgebraMiddle schoolabout 1:11

Solve -6(x + 1) = 3x + 2: animated lesson

A narrated, step-by-step linear equations video lesson with captions. Final answer: x = -8/9 ≈ -0.88888889.

SpeedLanguage

Video with a synthetic English voice and captions. Pick another language for subtitles in that language, or open the interactive version.

Video narrated by a synthetic voice (Piper TTS, en_US-ljspeech-high voice (LJ Speech dataset, public domain)); the steps come from our maths engine and the answer was checked independently. Download MP4 (0.4 MB) · Captions (WebVTT)

Steps on screen

1. The problem
Solving an equation
$-6~\left( x+1\right) = 3~ x+2$
2. Steps, part 1
1. $-6~\left( x+1\right) = 3~ x+2$
  Start with the equation
2. $-6x - 6 = 3x + 2$
  Simplify each side (distribute and combine like terms)
3. $-9x - 6 = 2$
  Subtract 3x from both sides
4. $-9x = 8$
  Add 6 to both sides
3. Steps, part 2
1. $x = \frac{8}{-9} = -\frac{8}{9}$
  Divide both sides by -9
4. The answer
$x = -\frac{8}{9} \approx -0.88888889$
x = -8/9 ≈ -0.88888889
5. Check
- x = -0.88888889: left side = -0.66666667, right side = -0.66666667 ✓

Transcript

The problem. Here is the problem: negative 6(x plus 1) equals 3x plus 2. A linear equation in x: isolate x using inverse operations.

Steps, part 1. Start with the equation. Simplify each side (distribute and combine like terms). Subtract 3x from both sides. Add 6 to both sides.

Steps, part 2. Divide both sides by negative 9.

The answer. So the answer is x equals negative 8 over 9 approximately negative 0.88888889. Doing the same operation to both sides keeps the equation balanced. Undoing addition, then multiplication, leaves x alone.

Check. x equals negative 0.88888889: left side equals negative 0.66666667, right side equals negative 0.66666667, which checks out.

About linear equations

Solve one-variable linear equations, including ones with brackets and fractions, and check the solution.

Solve -6(x + 1) = 3x + 2: Animated Step-by-Step Lesson