First you have to distribute the negative(=-1) with the numbers in the parentheses. -1×9=-: -1×-3x=3x You now have: 4x-9+3x=8x-1 Now combine like terms: 4x+3x=7x Now you have: 7x-9=8x-1 Now isolate that x: 7x-8x=-x -1+9=8 You now have: -x=8 Divide by -1 and get: x=-8
