Solve for e: -215+e+(-43)=-145?

I'm in 8th grade.

what is e?

-215+e+(-43)=-145 E = 113

"e" is an unknown variable. Just add and subtract until you get "e" on one side of = and everything else on the other. Don't forget that negative numbers become positive (add them) and positive numbers become negative (subtract them) when they move to the other side of =. Here's how you would go about solving for "e"...

-215 + e + (-43) = -145
which is the same as
-215 + e - 43 = -145
so...
e - 43 = -145 + 215
e - 43 = 70
e = 70 + 43
e = 113

And just to be sure...

-215 + 113 + (-43) = -145
-145 = -145

I thought a visual representation was best:
http://i454.photobucket.com/albums/qq262...

Please read afterward? :3

1. combine like terms. -215 + -43 = -258
2. add -258 to both sides of the equation.
3.This cancels out the -258 and leaves you with...

e = 113