Answer: x = -2
Step-by-step explanation: To solve for x, we must first isolate the term containing x which in this problem is 2x.
Since 5 is being added to 2x, we subtract 5
from both sides of the equation to isolate the 2x.
On the left, the +5 and -5 cancel out and on the right, 1 - 5 is -4.
So we have 2x = -4.
Now we can finish things off by just
dividing both sides of the equation by 2.
On the left, the 2's cancel and on the right, -4 divide by 2 is -2.
So x = -2.