Final answer:
To solve the equation, combine like terms on the left side, find common denominators for the fractions, and multiply both sides by the reciprocal of the combined fraction. The solution is x = 224.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve the equation, we can combine like terms on the left side:
-3/8x - 5/56x + 1/7x = -72
Common denominators can be found for the fractions:
-21/56x - 5/56x + 8/56x = -72
Combining like terms gives:
-18/56x = -72
Now, we can multiply both sides of the equation by the reciprocal of -18/56, which is -56/18. This gives:
x = (-72) * (-56/18) = 224
Therefore, the solution to the equation is x = 224.