A linear equation is an algebraic equation in which each term is either a constant or the product of a constant and (the first power of) a single variable. If it was graphed, it would form a line.
There is no one fixed procedure which can be applied to solve all linear equations, but the following hints can be offered:
Step 1: Eliminate fractions by multiplying all terms of the equation by the lowest common denominator.
Step 2: Use addition or subtraction to isolate all terms with the unknown on one side of the equation.
Step 3: Combine similar terms on the same side of the equation whenever possible.
Step 4: Divide both sides of the equation by the coefficient of the unknown. Usually this will be the last step in the process.
Examples:
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3x + 3 = 12 -3 -3 3x = 9 3 3 x = 3
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2x + 7 = 5x - 5 -2x -2x 7 = 3x - 5 +5 +5 12 = 3x 3 3 4 = x
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Date last modified: August 24, 2009.
Created by Molly Craker
