Inside knowledge:
Brief explanation: To solve the equation, we need to remove the parentheses, combine like terms, and isolate the variable 'x'.
Step-by-step solution:
- Remove parentheses: Since the second parenthesis is preceded by a minus sign, we change the sign of each term inside it:
\( 4x - 6 - 3x + 4 = 18 \) - Combine like terms: Combine the 'x' terms and the constant terms on the left side of the equation:
\( (4x - 3x) + (-6 + 4) = 18 \)
\( x - 2 = 18 \) - Isolate 'x': Add 2 to both sides of the equation to solve for 'x':
\( x - 2 + 2 = 18 + 2 \)
\( x = 20 \)
Answer: x = 20