Question

What do I do with a variable when it's next to the number??? Example I'm supposed to solve for the variable but I'm given the number, this is the equation x-2y= 1 for y HELPP??!

Answer 1

y = (x - 1)/2

Explanation:

When you solve for a variable, you need to get to an equation that has just that variable on the left side, and everything else is on the right side.

To solve for y, we need to end up with y alone on the left side.

We must follow the rules of algebra when isolating y on the left side.

x - 2y = 1

The left side has

x added to -2y.

We start by subtracting x from both sides.

x - 2y = 1

-x - x

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

-2y = 1 - x

Now we see that y is being multiplied by -2, so we divide both sides by -2.

-2y/-2y = (1 - x)/(-2)

y = -(x - 1)/(-2)

y = (x - 1)/2