Question

How do you solve $$2x + 5 = - 2$$?

Answer 1

Hint: Here in this question, we have to solve the given equation and it is in the form of an algebraic equation having a variable x. Solving this equation, we have to find the unknown value x by using the basic arithmetic operation like multiplication and division.

Complete step by step answer:
 The given equation is an algebraic equation. The algebraic equation is a combination of variable and constant and which has an equal sign. So we use arithmetic operations and solve it further.
Now consider the given equation
$$ \Rightarrow \,\,2x + 5 = - 2$$
Subtract 5 from both sides of the equation.
$$ \Rightarrow \,\,2x = - 2 - 5$$
On simplification, we get
$$ \Rightarrow \,\,2x = - 7$$
Now divide the above equation both side by 2, then we get
$$\therefore \,\,\,\,x = - \dfrac{7}{2}$$
Hence, it’s a required solution.
We can also verify the given question by substituting the value of x.
Consider $$2x + 5 = - 2$$. Substitute the value of x as $$ - \dfrac{7}{2}$$, so we have
$$ \Rightarrow \,\,2\left( { - \dfrac{7}{2}} \right) + 5 = - 2$$
On simplification we get
$$ \Rightarrow \,\, - 7 + 5 = - 2$$
$$\therefore \,\,\, - 2 = - 2$$
Hence LHS is equal to RHS.

Note: There are three methods to solve linear equations in one variable:
1. Trial and error
2. Inverse Operations
3. Transposition method
If the algebraic expression contains only one unknown, we determine the value by using simple arithmetic operations.