Solve for x 5x-38=-2(1-7x)

$5 x - 38 = - 2 (1 - 7 x)$

Step 1

Simplify $- 2 (1 - 7 x)$ .

Rewrite.

$5 x - 38 = 0 + 0 - 2 (1 - 7 x)$

Simplify by adding zeros.

$5 x - 38 = - 2 (1 - 7 x)$

Apply the distributive property.

$5 x - 38 = - 2 \cdot 1 - 2 (- 7 x)$

Multiply.

Multiply $- 2$ by $1$ .

$5 x - 38 = - 2 - 2 (- 7 x)$

Multiply $- 7$ by $- 2$ .

$5 x - 38 = - 2 + 14 x$

Step 2

Move all terms containing $x$ to the left side of the equation.

Subtract $14 x$ from both sides of the equation.

$5 x - 38 - 14 x = - 2$

Subtract $14 x$ from $5 x$ .

$- 9 x - 38 = - 2$

Step 3

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

Add $38$ to both sides of the equation.

$- 9 x = - 2 + 38$

Add $- 2$ and $38$ .

$- 9 x = 36$

Step 4

Divide each term in $- 9 x = 36$ by $- 9$ and simplify.

Divide each term in $- 9 x = 36$ by $- 9$ .

$\frac{- 9 x}{- 9} = \frac{36}{- 9}$

Simplify the left side.

Cancel the common factor of $- 9$ .

Cancel the common factor.

$\frac{- 9 x}{- 9} = \frac{36}{- 9}$

Divide $x$ by $1$ .

$x = \frac{36}{- 9}$

Simplify the right side.

Divide $36$ by $- 9$ .

$x = - 4$