Question

What is the value of x?
x + 5 = - 6x - 16

Answer 1

Get all the x's on one side and everything else on the other side
x + 6x = -16 - 5
7x = -21
then divide by 7
x = -3

Answer 2

x +5 = -6x - 16
add 16 to both sides
x+21 = -6x
add 6x to both sides
7x+21=0
factor out the seven
7(x+3)=0

if 7 times (x+3) = 0 then (x+3) must equal zero because 7 times 0 is 0

so x+3=0
subtract three from both sides
x= -3