-16 + 3n = -(8 + 5n)
The - sign outside the parentheses acts as a -1, and so it is distributed to each term in the parentheses.
-16 + 3n = -8 - 5n
+16
3n = 8 - 5n
+5n
8n = 8
/8
n = 1
-16 + 3n = -(8 + 5n) -16 + 3n = -8 - 5n 3n + 5n = -8 + 16 8n = 8 N = 8/8 N = 1
