Algebra Question?

First, you need to get all the x's on one side of the equation. A good way to start would be to multiply both sides by 16 and simplify:

16*3x - 16*(1/8) = 16*(5x/16)
48x - 2 = 5x

Subtract 5x from both sides and simplify:

48x - 5x -2 = 0
43x - 2 = 0

Then add two to both sides and simplify:

43x - 2 + 2 = 0 + 2
43x = 2

Finally divide both sides by 43 and you get x:

43x/43 = 2/43
x = 2/43

Plug this answer in wherever x occurs in the original equation and you will find that this is correct.

Though there a multiple ways to do this...
Personally, I like to get rid of fractions by multiplying everything by the divisor(s) to start with.
3x - 1/8 = 5x/16
24x - 1 = 40x/16
384x - 16 = 40x
384x - 40x = 16
344x = 16
x = 16/344
x = 2/43

add 1/8 to both sides to get 3x=5x/16+1/8
Multiply both sides by 16 to get 48x=5x+2
Subtract 5x from both sides to get 43x=2.
Divide both sides by 43 to get x=2/43.

3x - 1/8 = 5x/16: Multiply both sides by 16

48x -2 = 5x
43x =2
x=2/43

This is a simple rearrangement:

3x-1/8=5x/16

16(3x-1/8)=5x
48x-2=5x
48x-5x-2=0
43x-2=0
43x=2
x=2/43

3x - 1/8 = 5x/16
=> 3x - 5x/16 = 1/8
=> (48x- 5x)/ 16 = 1/8
=> 43x = 2
=> x =2/43

3x - 1/8 = 5x/16
16(3x - 1/8) = 16(5x/16)
48x - 2 = 5x
48x - 5x = 2
43x = 2
x = 2/43

Multiply both sides of the equation by 16. After you've done that, the equation reads, "48x -16/8 = 5x."
Then subtract 48x from both sides, so that the x is only on one side. The equation now reads, "-16/8 = -43x"
-16/8 is the same thing as -2, so change it to read -2, just for simplicity's sake.
Then divide both sides by negative 43, so that you isolate the x out and get your final answer, which is, "x = 2/43."

one on 8 the other on 16
16/8=2
2(3x-1)=5x
6x-2=5x
-2=-x
x=2