| 5 | x | ÷ | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | = | 4 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | ÷ | x | − | 1 |
| Multiply both sides of the equation by: | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | , | x |
| 5 | x | x | = | 4 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | − | 1 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | x |
| 5 | x | x | = | 4 | x | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | + | 4 | × | 4 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | − | 1 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | x |
| 5 | x | x | = | 4 | x | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | + | 16 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | − | 1 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | x |
| 5 | x | x | = | 4 | x | x | + | 4 | x | × | 4 | + | 16 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | − | 1 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | x |
| 5 | x | x | = | 4 | x | x | + | 16 | x | + | 16 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | − | 1 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | x |
| 5 | x | x | = | 4 | x | x | + | 16 | x | + | 16 | x | + | 16 | × | 4 | − | 1 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | x |
| 5 | x | x | = | 4 | x | x | + | 16 | x | + | 16 | x | + | 64 | − | 1 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | x |
| 5 | x | x | = | 4 | x | x | + | 32 | x | + | 64 | − | 1 | ( | x | + | 4 | ) | x |
| 5 | x | x | = | 4 | x | x | + | 32 | x | + | 64 | − | 1 | x | x | − | 1 | × | 4 | x |
| 5 | x | x | = | 4 | x | x | + | 32 | x | + | 64 | − | 1 | x | x | − | 4 | x |
| 5 | x | x | = | 4 | x | x | + | 28 | x | + | 64 | − | 1 | x | x |