you should first use the distributive property on the left side, 4x+36= 3x+41 now you can solve algebraically-whatever you do to one side you do to the other 4x+36=3x+41 -41 -41 -------------------- 4x+-5=3x
4x-5=3x -4x -4x --------------- -5=-x so now you have -5=-x but you need to solve for x meaning positive x so you can divide both sides by -1 -5/-1=5 -x/-1=x 5=x x=5
