Solving for b for equation $3a−5=−4b+1$ I have a math problem, and I'm trying to solve for 'b'. The problem answer shows that the first step is going from Step 1 to Step 2. I don't understand how they are doing this. How does the $-4b$ magically become positive and then 5 become 6? I'm obviously missing something. What is it?
\begin{align*}
    3a−5&=−4b+1\\ 
    4b &= 6 -3a\end{align*}

What we are really invoking are some nice (intuitive properties) of the numbers. For starters note that $b$ does not become positive. Instead we add $4b$ on both sides of the equation:
$$3a-5=-4b+1\implies 3a-5+4b=-4b+1+4b$$.
Hence we $3a-5+4b=1$. Now add $5-3a$ on both sides to get $4b=6-3a$.
