Solving One-Step Equations Study Guide
Steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Identify the variable
Draw “walls”
Identify the operation being done in the problem
Identify the INVERSE OPERATION
Perform the INVERSE OPERATION to both sides of the equation
Inverse Operations:
Operation
Inverse
Addition
Subtraction
Multiplication
Division
→
→
→
→
Subtraction
Addition
Division
Multiplication
Examples:
Step 1: Identify the variable.
Variable- the letter in the problem, it’s what you are solving for
For example:
1. 7y = 49
→
2. f - 14 = 24
→
“Y” IS THE VARIABLE
“f” IS THE VARIABLE
Step 2: Find out what operation that the problem is.
(x, ÷, +, or -)
For example:
8n = 16
z + 10 = 15
→
This is multiplication (x)
→
This is addition (+)
Step 3: Do the INVERSE operation to BOTH sides of the = sign to solve the problem.
This gets the variable by itself!
The INVERSE of
multiplication is division…
so divide BOTH sides of
the = sign by 8
1.
The 8s
cancel
out
The 10’s
cancel
out
8n = 16
8
8
n = 2
2.
z + 10
-10
z
=
15
- 10
=
5
The OPPOSITE of
addition is subtraction…
so - BOTH sides of the =
sign by 10