Algebra Examples

$- 2 m - 5 m - 8 = 3 + (- 7) + m$

Step 1

Subtract $5 m$ from $- 2 m$ .

$- 7 m - 8 = 3 - 7 + m$

Step 2

Subtract $7$ from $3$ .

$- 7 m - 8 = - 4 + m$

Step 3

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

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Step 3.1

Subtract $m$ from both sides of the equation.

$- 7 m - 8 - m = - 4$

Step 3.2

Subtract $m$ from $- 7 m$ .

$- 8 m - 8 = - 4$

Step 4

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

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Step 4.1

Add $8$ to both sides of the equation.

$- 8 m = - 4 + 8$

Step 4.2

Add $- 4$ and $8$ .

$- 8 m = 4$

Step 5

Divide each term in $- 8 m = 4$ by $- 8$ and simplify.

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Step 5.1

Divide each term in $- 8 m = 4$ by $- 8$ .

$\frac{- 8 m}{- 8} = \frac{4}{- 8}$

Step 5.2

Simplify the left side.

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Step 5.2.1

Cancel the common factor of $- 8$ .

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Step 5.2.1.1

Cancel the common factor.

$\frac{- 8 m}{- 8} = \frac{4}{- 8}$

Step 5.2.1.2

Divide $m$ by $1$ .

$m = \frac{4}{- 8}$

Step 5.3

Simplify the right side.

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Step 5.3.1

Cancel the common factor of $4$ and $- 8$ .

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Step 5.3.1.1

Factor $4$ out of $4$ .

$m = \frac{4 (1)}{- 8}$

Step 5.3.1.2

Cancel the common factors.

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Step 5.3.1.2.1

Factor $4$ out of $- 8$ .

$m = \frac{4 \cdot 1}{4 \cdot - 2}$

Step 5.3.1.2.2

Cancel the common factor.

$m = \frac{4 \cdot 1}{4 \cdot - 2}$

Step 5.3.1.2.3

Rewrite the expression.

$m = \frac{1}{- 2}$

Step 5.3.2

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

$m = - \frac{1}{2}$

Step 6

The result can be shown in multiple forms.

Exact Form:

$m = - \frac{1}{2}$

Decimal Form:

$m = - 0.5$