Question

How do you solve `-x-3=1`?

Answer 1

`x=-4,-x=4`

Explanation:

`-x-3=1`

`rarr-x-3=1`

`rarr-x=1+3=4`

`So,-x=4,x=-4`

Answer 2

A very slightly different way of saying the same thing!

`x=-4`

Explanation:

Given: `-x-3=1`
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
`color(blue)("Objective")`

`color(brown)("To end up with ( +x ) on one side of the equals sign and everything")` `color(brown)("else on the other side.")`

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
`color(blue)("Multiply everything by (-1)")`

`+x+3=-1`

`color(blue)("Subtract 3 from both sides")`

`x +3-3 = -1-3`

`x+0=-4`

`x=-4`

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
`color(purple)("Shortcut method")`

Given: `-x-3=1`

Using the rule that for + or - swapping sides of the equals sign changes the sign of the value.

`x=-3-1`

`x=-4`