If I have an equation that reads: $- 4 y = x - 3$ $-4y=x-3$ and I am solving for $y$ $y$ , what would the solution be?

Question

I know that I am supposed to divide, but what I don't know is what to do with the negative. Like, would the answer look like: $y = - \frac{x - 3}{4}$ $y=-(x-3)/4$ or $y = \frac{- x + 3}{4}$ $y=(-x+3)/4$ or are those two the same thing?

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Answer 1 · 2016-10-23T18:56:38

The first one is correct, although it could also be written as $y = \frac{x - 3}{- 4}$ $y=(x-3)/-4$ or $y = \frac{- (x - 3)}{4}$ $y=(-(x-3))/4$ .

Divide each side by $- 4$ $-4$ .

$- 4 y \div 4 = y$ $-4y÷4=y$

$(x - 3) \div - 4 =$ $(x-3)÷-4=$

$y = \frac{x - 3}{- 4} or$ $y=(x-3)/-4 or$
$y = \frac{- (x - 3)}{4} or$ $y=(-(x-3))/4 or$
$y = - \frac{x - 3}{4}$ $y=-(x-3)/4$