How to solve this simple linear equation

Question

I have the following equation (I personally wrote)

$2x + (5+3) = 46 + 3x$

Is the above equation possible at all? If yes, how to solve it?

I am new to math, as a free-learner (not associated with my academic major), if the right hand of the equation was minus $(-)$ instead of plus $(+)$, I could go with it.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You should not be scared of negative numbers.

1st step: Get rid of the parenthesis

$2x+5+3=46+3x$

2nd step: Get all x on the left hand and all numbers on the right hand:

$2x-3x=46-5-3$

3rd step: do the math:

$-1x=38$

4th step: divide both sides with the factor of x (-1):

$\frac{-1x}{-1}=\frac{38}{-1}$

5th step: Get your result:

$x=-38$

Answer 2

The Euclid way

1. Things which equal the same thing also equal one another.
2. If equals are added to equals, then the wholes are equal.
3. If equals are subtracted from equals, then the remainders are equal.
4. Things which coincide with one another equal one another.
5. The whole is greater than the part.

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$$\begin{array}{rcl}2x+(5+3)-2x-46&=&46+3x-2x-46\\-38&=&x \end{array}$$