Final answer:
To solve the equation x + 1 = -x - 5, add x to both sides and then subtract 1 from both sides, which simplifies to 2x = -6. Dividing by 2, you find that x = -3.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the value of x when solving the equation x + 1 = -x - 5 using algebra tiles or algebraically, you start by getting all the x terms on one side and the constant terms on the other. This involves adding x to both sides of the equation to cancel out the negative x on the right-hand side.
So, the equation now becomes x + x + 1 = -5. This simplifies to 2x + 1 = -5. Next, subtract 1 from both sides of the equation to get 2x = -6. Finally, divide both sides by 2 to solve for x, resulting in x = -3. Therefore, the value for x is -3.