Solve for $x$.
$
-4-x=-7 \
x=\square
$
Answer (1)
Add 4 to both sides of the equation: − x = − 3 .
Multiply both sides by -1: x = 3 .
The solution to the equation is 3 .
Explanation
Problem Analysis We are given the equation − 4 − x = − 7 and we want to solve for x . This is a linear equation, and we can isolate x by performing algebraic operations on both sides of the equation.
Adding 4 to both sides First, we add 4 to both sides of the equation to isolate the term with x :
− 4 − x + 4 = − 7 + 4
Simplifying the equation Simplifying the equation, we get: − x = − 3
Multiplying by -1 Now, we multiply both sides of the equation by -1 to solve for x :
( − 1 ) ( − x ) = ( − 1 ) ( − 3 )
Final Answer Simplifying, we find the value of x :
x = 3
Examples
Imagine you are at a store and you have a discount coupon. The original price of an item is $7, and after using the coupon, you only pay 4. T hi s p ro b l e mh e lp syo u c a l c u l a t e t h e v a l u eo f t h e d i sco u n t ( x ) b yse tt in gu pt h ee q u a t i o n -4 - x = -7$. Solving for x gives you the discount amount, which is $3.
