Algebra
Video Crash Courses
Want to watch animated videos and solve interactive exercises about isolating x when there is a number in the denominator in equations?
Click here to try the Video Crash Course called “Linear Equations”!
Earlier, you learned how to get rid of a number in front of . Now you’ll learn how to get rid of a number is divided by. It’s important to keep in mind that multiplication and division are inverse arithmetic operations. What multiplying can do, dividing can undo, and vice versa.
Rule
To Get Rid of a Number Is Divided By
When you have divided by a number, you have to multiply both sides of the equation by that exact number to get to stand alone.
When multiplying in equations, you have to multiply both sides of the equation with the same number. Here’s a recipe that will make it easy for you:
Rule
Recipe
- 1.
- Change all the terms that are only numbers to one side. Remember to change sign.
- 2.
- Change the terms that have an in them to the side you didn’t put the numbers on. Remember to change sign.
- 3.
- Simplify the terms on each side.
- 4.
- Multiply both sides by the number that is divided by.
Example 1
Solve for .
Example 2
Solve for .