Question

You saw that to solve for a variable, you need to use the order of operations backwards. In a short paragraph, explain why it is important to work backwards. Hint: When you are getting dressed, you put your socks on first and then your shoes on second. But to undo this, you take your shoes off first and your socks off second. Why do you have to reverse the order? Use this scenario to help you explain why it is important to work backwards when solving equations.

Answer 1

Working backwards is important in solving equations because it allows us to undo the operations that were applied to the variable and find its original value.

Step-by-step explanation:

Working backwards is important in solving equations because it allows us to undo the operations that were applied to the variable and find its original value.

This is similar to taking off our shoes before taking off our socks when getting dressed. By reversing the order of operations, we can isolate the variable and find its value.

For example, if we have the equation 3x + 5 = 20, we can work backwards by subtracting 5 from both sides and then dividing by 3. This allows us to find that x = 5.