Answer:
a = -5/11
Explanation:
You want to solve the equation -1/4-a-4=7/4a-3.
Solution
The first step in solving this 3-step equation can be to add the opposite of (-a) so that the variable 'a' appears only on one side of the equation:
-1/4 -a -4 +a = 7/4a -3 +a
-17/4 = 11/4a -3 . . . . . . . . . . . simplify
The second step is to add the opposite of the constant (-3) so that the constant is on one side of the equation, and the variable is on the other side.
-17/4 +3 = 11/4a -3 +3
-5/4 = 11/4a . . . . . . . . . . simplify
The third step is to multiply by the inverse of the coefficient of the variable:
(4/11)(-5/4) = (4/11)(11/4a)
-5/11 = a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . simplify
Check
-1/4 -(-5/11) -4 = (7/4)(-5/11) -3
-17/4 +5/11 = -35/44 -3
(-187 +20)/44 = (-132 -35)/44
-167/44 = -167/44 . . . . . . answer checks OK