Final answer:
Brackets [ ] are not always required on both sides of an equation, but they are useful for clarity when an operation applies to multiple terms or to maintain the proper order of operations.
Step-by-step explanation:
No, the brackets [ ] are not always necessary on both sides of an equation. The use of brackets in mathematics is to ensure the proper order of operations, especially when an expression on either side of the equation contains more than one term.
When multiplying or dividing both sides of an equation by the same number, if there is more than one term on a side, it is crucial to use brackets to enclose those terms. This ensures that the multiplication or division is applied to each term within the brackets. For example, if we have the equation 3x + 2 = 8 and we want to subtract 2 from both sides, we do not need brackets. However, if we want to multiply both sides by 2, it is best to use brackets: [2(3x + 2)] = 2[8].
In some contexts, such as chemistry and physics, brackets can have other meanings, like indicating the dimensions of a physical quantity or balancing charges in chemical equations. However, in the context of arithmetic operations within an algebraic equation, brackets are a tool to maintain clarity and precision when applying operations to multiple terms.