2x-(-1/2x-1/2)=8 the - sign before the first parentheses is a negative 1 you distribute the -1 into the parentheses -1 multiplied by -1/2x is 1/2x and -1 multiplied by -1/2 is 1/2. so now we have 2x-1/2x+1/2=8 you combine like terms (2x and -1/2x) you get 1 1/2x+1/2=8 you subtract the 1/2 to get 1 1/2x= 7 1/2 you divide everything by 1 1/2. the answer is x=5
