When solving the equation, we want both sides to represent the same amount all throughout the problem, so whenever you perform an action on one side of the equation, you must perform the same action on the other side of the equation. Since equations represent two equal amounts, think of them like a balancing scale. Most equations will have only one variable present after all, you can’t get a number as your answer if there’s another unknown amount present…but that discussion is for another time. So our goal is to move any other numbers (and maybe other variables) away from the variable we want to solve. So ultimately, what is the goal of solving an equation? Whenever you’re asked to solve, that means get the variable (the letter that stands in for an unknown number) by itself. This is one of the first concepts students encounter in Algebra, but the key skills you learn here carry on to every level of math afterwards, making this is one of the most important skills to master. As the name suggests, equations present two amounts that are supposed to be equal to each other. Equations are useful way of solving for an unknown amount when other information is present. Have you tried solving an equation and ended up stuck on a step halfway through? Having trouble making sense of equations or why they matter? In each installment of Step by Step, we’ll explain how you can approach a variety of concepts more effectively.