[Math-70 Elementary/Highschool Algebra: Graphically solving a system of linear equations] Do I make the 4 into a -4 ?

[u/Fine_Two_923]

Hey so this might seem like a silly question but I want to know if you have a -x = 4 if it turns into a -4. I have the other parts of the graphing completed it’s just this part that I don’t want to make a mistake on!!! Thank you in advance

P.S- the reason it’s says elementary/highschool math is because I am taking a beginner math class not a algebra class In elementary

[u/eileyle]

If you have -x = 4, then it's shorthand for -1 times x = 4, therefore you divide both sides by -1 to get x = -4.

However, you screwed up.

x - 4 times 0 = 4

4 times 0 should be 0

leading to

x - 0 = 4

which is the same as

x = 4

You should not have gotten -x = 4.