Question

Please tell me the first step in evaluating: 3(x + 2) = 5 Then simplify it completely.

Answer 1

So what you need to do in an equation like this is first to distribute meaning the number directly outside the parentheses needs to be multiplied by the numbers inside the parentheses:
3x + 6 = 5 then: subtract each side by six
3x = -1 now: divide each side by 3 to get x by itself
x = -1/3