If I need to find what x is?

Question

in -2x = - 3.....should I put -2 under both so it would = -3/-2 which would make it 3/2 because of the two negatives or should I put a +2 under both which would = -3/2
thanks

Answer 1

You were right the first time. The point is that you completely want to isolate x on the left side, so you divide by absolutely everything that is multiplied by x, which would include the negative sign. So yes, you would get x = -3/-2 = 3/2.

Answer 2

What you want to do is to multiply both sides by -1/2. Watch
(that puts a -2 "under both sides.")
-2x = - 3
(-1/2)(-2x) = (-1/2)(-3)

Because of the associative property of multiplication (ab)c=a(bc),
(-1/2)(-2x) = (-1/2)(-3) becomes
(-1/2)(-2)(x) = (-1/2)(-3)

Now (-1/2)(-2)=1, right?
and 1 times x = x, right?
so you have
x = (-1/2)(-3)=3/2... your first answer.

Had you mulitplied by both sides by 1/2 instead of -1/2, you would have gotten
(1/2)(-2x) = (1/2)(-3)
Now (1/2)(-2)= -1, right?
and -1 times x = -x, right?
so you have
-x = (1/2)(-3)=-3/2
Now, to get that pesky minus sign off the x, you have to multiply both sides by -1 and you get
x=3/2... your first answer... again.

Thank you for working on it before posting.

Answer 3

Divide both sides by -2 to get x = -3/-2 = 3/2.

If you divide by +2 you will be left with -x = -3/2, then you have to do another step to get to x = 3/2.

Answer 4

you divide both sides by -2 making x=3/2 because a negative on both sides of a fraction cancel out.

Answer 5

Yup, x= 3/2

Answer 6

if i remember correctly you take the -2 and would divide it into -3 because it was times on the x side

Answer 7

-2x = -3
x = -3/-2
x = 3/2