Solve for a -1/5a+21=23

$- \frac{1}{5} a + 21 = 23$

Step 1

Combine $a$ and $\frac{1}{5}$ .

$- \frac{a}{5} + 21 = 23$

Step 2

Move all terms not containing $a$ to the right side of the equation.

Subtract $21$ from both sides of the equation.

$- \frac{a}{5} = 23 - 21$

Subtract $21$ from $23$ .

$- \frac{a}{5} = 2$

Step 3

Multiply both sides of the equation by $- 5$ .

$- 5 (- \frac{a}{5}) = - 5 \cdot 2$

Step 4

Simplify both sides of the equation.

Simplify the left side.

Simplify $- 5 (- \frac{a}{5})$ .

Cancel the common factor of $5$ .

Move the leading negative in $- \frac{a}{5}$ into the numerator.

$- 5 \frac{- a}{5} = - 5 \cdot 2$

Factor $5$ out of $- 5$ .

$5 (- 1) \frac{- a}{5} = - 5 \cdot 2$

Cancel the common factor.

$5 \cdot - 1 \frac{- a}{5} = - 5 \cdot 2$

Rewrite the expression.

$- - a = - 5 \cdot 2$

Multiply.

Multiply $- 1$ by $- 1$ .

$1 a = - 5 \cdot 2$

Multiply $a$ by $1$ .

$a = - 5 \cdot 2$

Simplify the right side.

Multiply $- 5$ by $2$ .

$a = - 10$