2(x + 2) = 20 how do i solve this?

You can do it two ways.

FIRST method -- expand the left side (taking off the brackets) as in,

2x + 4 = 20

Subtract 4 from both sides,

2x + 4 - 4 = 20 - 4

2x = 16

Divide both sides of the equation by 2,

x = 8

SECOND method -- simply dividing both sides of the equation by 2, you will have

x + 2 = 10

Subtracting 2 from both sides

x + 2 - 2 = 10 - 2

x = 8

2(x + 2) = 20 [Given]
x + 2 = 10 [Divide both sides of the equation by 2]
x = 8 [Subtract 2 from both sides of the equation]

ok so like most math problems you need to break it into steps.
1) distribute the 2 into (x + 2) to get 2x +4

2) get all the variables (in this case x) to one side and all the constants (4 and 20 in this case) on the other side to yield:
2x = 20 - 4 = 16
3) divide by the coefficient in front of x to get x = 16/2 = 8

2(x+2)= 20
2x + 4= 20
-4 -4
2x= 16 (divide by 2)

x= 8

x + 2 = 10
x = 8

expand 2(x + 2)= 20
2x + 4 =20

2x = 20- 4
2x = 16
divide by 2 both sides
x = 8

2(x + 2) = 20
x + 2 = 10
x = 8

If you have anything in brackets, for example in this question, x + 2, then it counts as a term in it's own right. so 2 (x + 2) is basically just two numbers (the number 2 and the number (x +2)) being multiplied together. This means that if you divide both sides of the equation by one of these numbers, you will get rid of one of them from the left side. (e.g. 2(x + 2) all divided by 2, gives you x + 2. and obviously 20 divided by 2 gives you 10. In this way you have divided both sides by 2, and that gives you:
x + 2 = 10

From this stage it is obvious, because whatever x is, it's 2 less than 10, so x must be 8.

divide 2 by both sides of equation turns 2(x+2)=20 to
x+2=10
more 2 to the other side of the equation to isolate x
x=10-2
x=8

you do humpty hump....2 times x and then 2 times 2 which will be 2x times 4 = 20. then subtract 4 from 20 and you will get 2x=16. then divide 2 into 16 and your final answer will be 8.

2(x + 2) = 20
2*x + 2*2 = 20
2x + 4 = 20
2x = 20 - 4
2x = 16
x = 16/2
x = 8