Where did zebulon pike spend most of his time exploring?

The first expedition on which Wilkinson dispatched Pike, to find the source of the Mississippi River in 1805, may have had an ulterior motive. It is suspected that Wilkinson may have been hoping to provoke a conflict with Britain, which at the time controlled Canada.

8 - (2a + 7) = a + 40     distribute/multiply - into (2a + 7)

8 - 2a - 7 = a + 40

1 - 2a = a + 40       add 2a on both sides

1 = 3a + 40         subtract 40 on both sides

-39 = 3a       divide 3 on both sides

-13 = a

[proof]

8 - (2a + 7) = a + 40

8 - (2(-13) + 7) = -13 + 40

8 - (-26 + 7) = 27

8 - (-19) = 27

8 + 19 = 27

27 = 27