Solving Equations Properly
Solving a simple equation is one thing; solving the ones that actually turn up is another. This series starts where most people get stuck — turning a sentence into an equation — then takes on the shapes that need a move of their own: the letter on both sides, a bracket in the way, a fraction in the middle, and finally the ten-second check that catches all of it.
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How Do You Turn a Word Problem Into an Equation?
Most of a word problem is done before any solving starts. Learn how to name the unknown and translate a sentence into an equation in an interactive playground.
What Does Moving a Term Across the Equals Sign Do?
Transposing looks like a separate rule with its own sign-flipping magic. It is the two-sides move with the middle line left out. See what it hides in a playground.
How Do You Solve an Equation With x on Both Sides?
When the letter appears on both sides, one extra move comes first: collect the letters onto one side. Walk the whole solution on a balance scale in a playground.
How Do You Solve an Equation That Has Brackets?
A bracket in an equation can be multiplied out, or it can be divided away. Learn both routes and follow the solution on a balance scale in an interactive playground.
How Do You Solve an Equation With a Fraction in It?
A fraction in an equation is a division waiting to be undone by a multiplication. Learn how to clear it and follow the whole solution on a balance scale.
How Do You Check That Your Solution Is Right?
A solution is the value that makes both sides agree, so checking is simply putting it back in. Learn what a check proves and test three values in a playground.