Solve 144:(8x+24)+18=2

$$144 : ( 8 x + 24 ) + 18 = 2$$

Solve for x

$$x = -\frac{33}{8} = -4\frac{1}{8} = -4.125$$

Steps for Solving Linear Equation

Variable x cannot be equal to -3 since division by zero is not defined. Multiply both sides of the equation by 8\left(x+3\right).

$$144+8\left(x+3\right)\times 18=16\left(x+3\right)$$

Multiply 8 and 18 to get 144.

$$144+144\left(x+3\right)=16\left(x+3\right)$$

Use the distributive property to multiply 144 by x+3.

$$144+144x+432=16\left(x+3\right)$$

Add 144 and 432 to get 576.

$$576+144x=16\left(x+3\right)$$

Use the distributive property to multiply 16 by x+3.

$$576+144x=16x+48$$

Subtract 16x from both sides.

$$576+144x-16x=48$$

Combine 144x and -16x to get 128x.

$$576+128x=48$$

Subtract 576 from both sides.

$$128x=48-576$$

Subtract 576 from 48 to get -528.

$$128x=-528$$

Divide both sides by 128.

$$x=\frac{-528}{128}$$

Reduce the fraction \frac{-528}{128} to lowest terms by extracting and canceling out 16.

$$x=-\frac{33}{8}$$