Solving Equations

Because an equation represents a scale, it can also be manipulated like one. The diagram below shows a simple equation and the steps to solving it.

Initial Equation / Problem	x + 23	=	45
Subtract 23 from each side	x + 23 - 23	=	45 - 23
Result / Answer	x	=	22

The diagram below shows a more complex equation. This equation has both a constant and a variable on each side. Again, to solve this you must keep both sides of the equation equal; perform the same operation on each side to get the variable "x" alone. The steps to solving the equation are shown below.

Initial Equation / Problem:	x + 23	=	2x + 45
Subtract x from each side	x - x + 23	=	2x - x + 45
Result	23	=	x + 45
Subtract 45 from each side	23 - 45	=	x + 45 - 45
Result	-22	=	x
Answer	x	=	-22