12y - 4 = 32
+4 +4
12y = 36
divide 12 by both y and 36
y = 3
add 4 to both sides of the equation to get y alone. (keep in mind that whatever you do to one side you MUST do to the other.) next you still need to get y alone by dividing by 12 on both sides.
!! INVERSE OPERATIONS !!