Question

Solve for x. x - 8 / 2 = -3 A. 2 B. 7 C. –14 D. –9

Answer 1

Subtract x, giving you -8/2=-3-x. Multiply by 2, giving you -8=-6-2x. Add the 2x and the -8 to both side. This gives you 2x=-6+8. Reduce: 2x=2. Divide by 2, you are left with x=1. Using order of operations, that is the only solution that works, leaving all the multiple choice answers wrong.

Answer 2

For this question, you need to try all of the choices:
For A, we add x=2 and the equation would be 2 - 8 / 2 = -3, the real answer to that is: 2 - 8 / 2 = -3!
That means A is the correct answer and we don't have to try any of the other choices! Hope this helped >.<