if you are solving for a: it equals 3 distribute: 5a + 5=2a +14 get rid of extra number on one side: 5a=2a +9 (subtract 5 from both sides) get rid of the other variable: 3a=9 (subtract 2a from both sides) divide to isolate a: 3a/3=9/3 (divide by three on both sides) answer= a=3
