In this deck, you'll learn how to solve basic linear equations. An equation is like a balanced set of scales, and 'solving' it means finding the value of an unknown letter, usually x, that keeps the scales balanced. We'll use a simple but powerful idea called inverse operations to find the answer, and then learn how to check if our answer is correct.

To solve equations, we need to undo the operations that are happening to the unknown. Every mathematical operation has an opposite, or 'inverse'. The inverse of adding is subtracting, and the inverse of subtracting is adding. Similarly, the inverse of multiplying is dividing, and the inverse of dividing is multiplying.