Question

1/3a = −5 What does a equal?

Answer 1

1/3 ⋅ = −5

1. Combine multiplied terms into a single fraction
1/3 = −5
1a/3 = -5

2. Multiply by 1
1a/3 = -5
a/3 = -5

3. Multiply all terms by the same value to eliminate fraction denominators
a/3 = -5
3 • a/3 = 3 (-5)

4. Cancel multiplied terms that are in the denominator
3 • a/3 = 3 (-5)
a = 3 (-5)

5. Multiply the numbers
a = 3(-5)
a = -5