How do you solve #3x=16-5x#?

First of all, you are going to add #5x# to each side. This will give you a new equation of #8x=16#. The reason you add 5 is because you want to get rid of the -5x on the right. When you add 5 it changes to 0x. Anything times 0 equals 0. The next step is to divide both sides by 8. The reason you divide is to get x alone. When you divide 8x by 8, you get 1x. 1 times anything equals what the other thing is. For example, 1 times 4 is 4. This will give you your answer of #x=2#

You can add #5x# to both sides of the equation, then divide both sides by #8#:

#3x=16-5x#

#3xcolor(blue)+color(blue)(5x)=16-5xcolor(blue)+color(blue)(5x)#

#3xcolor(blue)+color(blue)(5x)=16color(red)cancelcolor(black)(color(black)-5xcolor(blue)+color(blue)(5x))#

#3xcolor(blue)+color(blue)(5x)=16#

#8x=16#

#color(blue)(color(black)(8x)/8)=color(blue)(color(black)16/8)#

#color(blue)(color(black)(color(red)cancelcolor(black)8x)/color(Red)cancelcolor(blue)8)=color(blue)(color(black)16/8)#

#x=color(blue)(color(black)16/8)#

#x=2#

This is the answer. Hope this helped!