17 - 6b = 23 - 4b
move -4b to the other side
sign changes from -4b to +4b
17-6b+4b= 23-4b+4b
17-2b= 23
move 17 to the other side
sign changes from +17 to -17
17-17-2b= 23-17
-2b= 23-17
-2b= 6
divide both sides by -2 to get +b
get b by itself
-2b/-2= 6/-2
cross out -2 and -2, divide by ,
-2
then becomes 1*1*b= b
b= 6/-2
divide by 2
6/-2= -3
2/2= 1
-3*1= -3
Answer:
b= -3
