1. distribute the -8 into the parentheses and you get -32+24x-17x 2. combine like terms and get -32+7x 3. if you need to make it simpler set the equation = to zero -32+7x=0 and then add the 32 on both sides 4. 7x=32 and then divide by 7 and you get 32/7 or approximately 4.571