Solving the Equation: (x-5)(-3) = 18
This article will guide you through solving the equation (x-5)(-3) = 18.
1. Distribute the -3
The first step is to distribute the -3 to the terms inside the parentheses:
-3(x - 5) = 18 -3x + 15 = 18
2. Isolate the x term
To isolate the x term, subtract 15 from both sides of the equation:
-3x + 15 - 15 = 18 - 15 -3x = 3
3. Solve for x
Finally, divide both sides of the equation by -3 to solve for x:
-3x / -3 = 3 / -3 x = -1
Therefore, the solution to the equation (x-5)(-3) = 18 is x = -1.
Verification
To verify our solution, we can substitute x = -1 back into the original equation:
(-1 - 5)(-3) = 18 (-6)(-3) = 18 18 = 18
This confirms that our solution is correct.