Question

what is a good way to memorize the order of doing equations to find x

Answer 1

\(\huge\color{red}{PEMDAS}\)

Answer 2

are you sure because thats order of operations for normal problems

Answer 3

oh no dear, this is not something to think about at all
every situation can be different
math is not
first i do this
then i do that
finally i do the other

Answer 4

which equations? it depends there are quadratics, and others.

Answer 5

what i am saying is that there is not order, you need to look and to think about what you want to accomplish

Answer 6

Practice solving lots of equations.

Answer 7

problems like 2(3y + 4 + 2) = 196 − 16

Answer 8

1) Put variable on one side, and numbers on the other.

Answer 9

Thats actually a problem I'm working on

Answer 10

distribute first

Answer 11

or divide everything by 2, up to you

Answer 12

first combine right part

Answer 13

196 -16 first you have to solve this then you can divide by 2

Answer 14

how would you know what to subtract for isolating and stuff

Answer 15

Nnesha has the right idea actually. You use PEMDAS, but you do so in reverse.

For example, we know that

2+3 = 5

let's cover up the '2' and let's pretend we don't know it. So we'll replace it with x

x+3 = 5

you could guess at the solution or you probably know it right off the bat. How would you use algebra to solve? You follow PEMDAS in reverse. Normally you add but now you're undoing that addition and subtracting 3 from both sides

x+3 = 5
x+3-3 = 5-3
x = 2

-------------------------------------------------------

A more complicated example

2*x + 3 = 11

normally we follow PEMDAS if we know the value of x, but we don't. So we just undo PEMDAS. We start with addition/subtraction. Undo the addition (the +3) by subtracting 3 from both sides

2*x + 3-3 = 11-3

2*x = 8

Now we undo the multiplication by dividing both sides by 2

2*x/2 = 8/2

x = 4

Answer 16

thanks @Nnesha and @jim_thompson5910

Answer 17

\(\huge\color{blue}{my~pleasure}\)
hope you understand :)
let us know if you need more help

Answer 18

also, a good rule of thumb is to simplify things as much as possible

so let's say you had

x+x+x+x+3 = 5

it's a good idea to combine like terms. So combine the 'x's to get 4x giving

4x + 3 = 5