Final answer: x=-11 1. distribute 4(x+9) 5+4x+36=-3 2. combine like terms 4x + 41 = -3 3. subtract 41 from each side 4x = -44 4. divide 4 from each side x=-11
First you would distribute the 4 with both of the values inside the parenthesis. So 4 times 1x (cause theirs always an invisible 1 beside the x or a -1 if it is a -x) would be 4x and 4 times 9 would be 36. Now you have the problem, 5+4x+36= -3 then you would have to get x alone on one side. So you would subtract 36 from both 36 and -3. That would get you to 5+4x= -39 then you would do the same thing but with the 5. So 4x = -44 ( you can only subtract the number if they have the same values like 4x - 3x, but, that does not apply for multiplying and or dividing). Then you would divide 4x by -44 and get -11 and that would cancel out the 4 so X= -11.
