Objectives 

• Linear Equations

• Equations with variables in a denominator

Examples

• Example 1

• Example 2

• Example 3

• Example 4

"To solve" an equation means to find all values of the desired variable which make the original equation true.

In practice, we need to be able to rearrange the components of a given equation so that we eventually "isolate" the desired variable on one side of the equation.

In order to isolate the desired variable, we will call upon many of the skills you practiced in earlier lessons, namely, factoring, finding a least common denominator, rules of exponents, etc.

The only catch is: when rearranging the components, we must obey the basic rules of arithmetic and algebra so that we don't lose track of the original equation.

Perhaps the most important rule to remember is:

If you perform some operation on one side of an equation, you must perform the same operation on the other side of the equation.