Start from zero — the basic math you need before everything else
An equation says two things are equal, with an = sign between them, like x + 7 = 12. Think of it as a balance scale: the left side weighs exactly the same as the right. Your job is to find the value of x that keeps it balanced.
To get x on its own, undo whatever is being done to it using the opposite operation. To keep the scale level, do the same thing to both sides. If something is added, subtract it; if it's multiplied, divide. Finish by checking: put your answer back in and see if both sides match.
An equation is a balance scale. Picture a mystery parcel of weight x on one pan; with a 7 kg weight added it balances against 12 kg, so x + 7 = 12. To find x, lift 7 kg off both pans so it stays level: x = 5. Whatever you do to one side, do to the other.
▶ One-Step Equations