WEBVTT

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Here is the problem: negative 3x plus 16 equals negative 5.

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A linear equation in x: isolate x using inverse operations.

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Start with the equation.

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Subtract 16 from both sides.

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Divide both sides by negative 3.

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Now look at the graph of the left side minus the right side.

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It crosses zero exactly at the solutions we found.

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So the answer is x equals 7.

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Doing the same operation to both sides keeps the equation balanced. Undoing addition, then multiplication, leaves x alone.

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x equals 7: left side equals negative 5, right side equals negative 5, which checks out.