Final answer:
To solve the equation 5(x - 3) = 4(x - 3) - 18, distribute the terms and combine like terms, then simplify to find the value of x.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve for x in the equation 5(x - 3) = 4(x - 3) - 18, we can start by distributing the terms on both sides of the equation. This gives us 5x - 15 = 4x - 12 - 18.
Next, we can combine like terms by subtracting 4x from both sides, which gives us x - 15 = -12 - 18.
Finally, we can simplify further by adding 15 to both sides, resulting in x = -12 - 18 + 15. Calculating this expression, we get x = -15.