How do you solve the equation 4x-5 plus 2x equals 13 plus 9x-21?

Answer 1

First you clean it up. Then you solve it with a couple of simple steps.

4x - 5 + 2x = 13 + 9x - 21

Let's re-arrange the terms on each side, so you can see what comes next:

(4x + 2x) - 5 = (13 - 21) + 9x

Now combine the terms inside the parentheses.

Just do the adding and subtracting:

(6x) - 5 = (-8) + 9x

Add 8 to each side:

6x + 3 = 9x

Subtract 6x from each side:

3 = 3x

Divide each side by 3:

1 = x

Isn't that a lot neater than that big ugly thing we started out with ?