__(x-3)+(-2x-8)= -3x-5
___ x - 3 -2x - 8 = -3x - 5
____ -x -11 = - 3x - 5 (This is not an equality)
If we replace the blank with - 1, we will have:
- 1 (x - 3) + (-2x - 8) = -3x - 5
-x + 3 -2x -8 = -3x - 5
-x -2x + 3 - 8 = -3x -5
-3x -5 = - 3x - 5 (This is a verifiable equality)
The correct answer is that we can fill the blank with - 1