Solve for x x-5(x+2)=26

$x - 5 (x + 2) = 26$

Step 1

Simplify $x - 5 (x + 2)$ .

Simplify each term.

Apply the distributive property.

$x - 5 x - 5 \cdot 2 = 26$

Multiply $- 5$ by $2$ .

$x - 5 x - 10 = 26$

Subtract $5 x$ from $x$ .

$- 4 x - 10 = 26$

Step 2

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

Add $10$ to both sides of the equation.

$- 4 x = 26 + 10$

Add $26$ and $10$ .

$- 4 x = 36$

Step 3

Divide each term in $- 4 x = 36$ by $- 4$ and simplify.

Divide each term in $- 4 x = 36$ by $- 4$ .

$\frac{- 4 x}{- 4} = \frac{36}{- 4}$

Simplify the left side.

Cancel the common factor of $- 4$ .

Cancel the common factor.

$\frac{- 4 x}{- 4} = \frac{36}{- 4}$

Divide $x$ by $1$ .

$x = \frac{36}{- 4}$

Simplify the right side.

Divide $36$ by $- 4$ .

$x = - 9$