How do you solve $2x + 9- 7x = - 71$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2017-06-11T00:39:56

$x=16$

What you want to do first is combine like terms:

$color(green)(2x)+9-color(green)(7x)=-71$

$color(green)(2x)-color(green)(7x)+9=-71$

$-5x+9=-71$

Then subtract nine from both sides:

$-5x+cancel9-cancel9=-71-9$

$-5x=-80$

Then divide by $-5$ on both sides:

$cancel(-5x)/cancel(-5)=(-80)/-5$

$x=16$

How do you solve 2x + 9- 7x = - 712x + 9- 7x = - 71?