First we have to simplify both sides of the equation.
<span><span><span><span><span><span><span>8a </span>+ </span>− <span>4a </span></span>+ </span>− <span>6a </span></span>+ </span>− 8 </span>= <span>2<span>a
</span></span><span><span>(<span><span><span>
8a </span>
+ <span>
− <span>
4a </span></span></span>
+ <span>
− <span>
6a</span></span></span>) </span>+ <span>(<span>
−8</span>) </span></span>= <span>2<span>a < We combine the like terms here.
</span></span><span><span><span>
−<span>
2a </span></span>+ <span>
− 8 </span></span>= <span>2a</span></span><span><span><span>−<span>2a </span></span>− 8 </span>= <span>2<span>a
Now we must subtract 2a from both sides!
</span></span></span><span><span><span><span>−<span>2a </span></span>− 8 </span>−
<span>
2a </span></span>= <span><span>2a </span>− <span>
2a</span></span></span><span><span><span>−<span>4a </span></span>− 8 </span>= <span>0
Then we add 8 to both sides.
</span></span><span><span><span><span>−<span>4a </span></span>− 8 </span>+
8 </span>= <span>0 +
8</span></span><span><span>−<span>4a </span></span>= 8
Finally we divide both sides by -4.
</span>
<span>a = -2.</span><span>
</span>
