$$ \begin{aligned} -5 &= \frac{x}{3}-8&& \text{multiply ALL terms by } \color{blue}{ 3 }. \\[1 em]3\cdot(-5) &= 3 \cdot \frac{x}{3}-3\cdot8&& \text{cancel out the denominators} \\[1 em]-15 &= x-24&& \text{ swap the left and right side of the equation } \\[1 em]x-24 &= -15&& \text{ move -24 to the right } \\[1 em]x &= -15+24&& \\[1 em]x &= 9&& \\[1 em]x &= 9&& \\[1 em] \end{aligned} $$

This page was created using