Question

The algebraic process you use to isolate a variable in order to find what values

Answer 1

So for example: 

5x + 3y = 7. 

To isolate x, we do the following: 

Subtract 3y from both sides: 

5x + 3y - 3y = 7 - 3y 

Which gives: 

5x = 7 - 3y 

Now we need to divide both sides by 5. 

5x / 5 = (7 - 3y) / 5 

x = (7 - 3y) / 5 

We have now isolated x. 


Here's a slightly harder one: 

2x + 8 = x + 6y 

To isolate for x, we need to get all x terms on one side: 

So we subtract x from both sides: 

2x + 8 - x = x + 6y - x 

x + 8 = 6y 

Now we need to get rid of the 8 on the left hand side of the equals sign: 

x + 8 - 8 = 6y - 8 

x = 6y - 8