First, write the equation:
3(a+1.5) = -1.5
Next, you can distribute 3 into the parentheses by multiplying 3 by a and 1.5. It should look like this:
3a + 4.5 = -1.5
When trying to find the value of a variable, you want to get the variable to one side of the equation by itself. Subtract 4.5 from both sides of the equation to get:
3a = -6
Now, divide both sides by 3 to get your final answer:
a= -2
The value that makes the equation true is -2
Hope this helped!