Incorrect. The first step is a valid one and results in . However, adding 9 results in . You probably forgot to divide 9 by 8 when you divided 8x by 8. Isolating the variable requires performing the same operation to all parts of the expression. Performing the steps you went through in reverse order works, though, because you are using the inverse of the operations in the expression. The inverse of -9 is + 9, so you would add 9. You would then perform the inverse of multiplying by 8, which is dividing by 8. So the correct method is to add 9, and then multiply divide by 8.