-3x + 5 = 8 - 4(x-3)

 

First get the paranthesis away; be VERY careful when you see double negatives like these: a minus sign outside the paranthesis and a minus sign inside the paranthesis. Rembember that -(-x) = x

-4(x-3)= -[ 4(x-3) ] = -(4x-12) = -4x +12

 

So the solution for the whole equation is:

-3x + 5 = 8 - 4(x-3)

-3x +5 = 8 -4x + 12          Solve the paranthesis as shown above

-3x + 4x = 8 +12 -5          Get all the X'es on the left, and all the numbers on the right

x = 15                               add (+) and subtract (-) the unknowns and the numbers