Can you explain my daughters math problem...I just don't get it...I was never good in math. =o)?

A is a variable. A variable represents a number that is currently unknown. To solve...

Add -4A and -2A to get -6A. This is called combining like terms.

Next add 5 and -9 to get -4. So right now you have -6A-4=44

Then since you want to get A by itself you need to get rid of -4

so add 4 to both sides like this -6A-4+4=44+4

Then you have -6A=48

Then since -6A means -6 times A divide each side by -6

-6A/-6=48/-6

you get A= -8

Combine like terms. Everything that has A can be added/subtracted. Then, all the other numbers that don't have A can be added/subtracted. First, work on each side of the equal sign.

-4A + 5 - 2A - 9 = 44

You can "combine" the -4A and the -2A. What's -4 - 2? -6--So you've got a -6A on the left side. You can also combine the 5 and -9. What's 5 - 9? -4--So, you've got a -4 on the left side also.

-6A - 4 = 44

You are trying to get the A by itself with a number on the right. Whatever you do to the left, you must do to the right. If you add 4 to the left, what will happen to that -4? It will cancel, right. Because 4 - 4 = 0.

But, since we want to add 4 to the left, we must add 4 to the right.

-6A - 4 + 4 = 44 + 4

-6A = 48

OK, -6A is the same as -6 times A. Before, we did the opposite of subtraction to get rid of the 4. Well, what's the opposite of multiplication? Right, division. So we need to divide by -6 on both sides.

-6A / -6 = 48 / -6

A = -8

Ok what you do is....

First- combine the like terms: -4A and -2A = -6A

Then you combine the other like terms: 5 -9 = -3

So you end up with -6A -3 = 44

Add the -3 to 44 and you get 42

That leaves -6A = 42

Now you divide 42 by -6

And the answer is: A= -8

That's how you solve it.... and I think "A" is called a variable.

-6A = 44 +9 - 5 =48

THEN A = -8

-4A + 5 - 2A - 9 = 44

or -6A -4 = 44

or -6A = 44 + 4

or -6A = 48

or A = -48/6

or A = -8

-4a+5-2a-9=44

-6a-4=44

-6a=48

a=-8

OMG!!!! I'm with you I don't get it either and I think it has made me more confused with the other answerer's explaining it. Doesn't make sense at all to me. I can't believe this is 6th grade work. I would flunk out for sure.