Answer:
a = -7
Explanation:
You want to know the value of 'a' in the equation 2a +3 = a -4.
Solution
To solve a linear equation like this, you want to collect the variable terms on one side of the equal sign, and the constant terms on the other side. In general to remove a term from a place where you don't want it, you subtract it from both sides of the equation.
2a +3 = a -4 . . . . . . given equation
To remove the 'a' term on the right, we subtract 'a' from both sides:
2a -a +3 = a -a -4
a +3 = -4 . . . . . . . . . simplify
Now, we have a constant on the left that we don't want, so we subtract that from both sides:
a +3 -3 = -4 -3
a = -7 . . . . . . . . . . . simplify
The value of 'a' in the equation is -7.