Step 1: Distribute -0.5 to the terms inside the parentheses.
4 - 0.5x - 4.5 = -2.1
Step 2: Combine like terms.
-0.5x - 0.5 = -2.1
Step 3: Isolate the term with x.
-0.5x = -2.1 + 0.5
-0.5x = -1.6
Step 4: Solve for x.
x = -1.6 / -0.5