Question

How do you solve the equation `(b+4)/-2=-17`?

Answer 1

`b=30`

Explanation:

We can undo the fact that `b+4` is divided by `-2` by multiplying both sides by `-2`.

`-2((b+4)/(-2))=(-17)(-2)`

The fractions in the left-hand side can be manipulated to show that the effect of multiplying both sides by `-2` is to have the introduced `-2` cancel with the preexisting `-2` as `1`:

`(-2)/(-2)(b+4)=(-17)(-2)`

`b+4=(-17)(-2)`

Note that `17xx2=34`. Since we have a negative multiplied by a negative, the result will be positive.

`b+4=34`

Subtract `4` from both sides of the equation:

`b+4-4=34-4`

`b=30`