Solving Equations Using Division

Let's solve 4x=12.

First draw a picture of 4x=12.

The left side of the equation is 4x. Let's draw 4 x's on the left side of our picture.

The right side is 12, so let's draw an 12 on the right.

Can you think of a number to replace "x" so that the left side and the right side add up to the same total?

For this puzzle, you should pick x=3, because then both sides will total up to 12.

Here again is a picture of our equation:

How can we solve this without guessing?

Let's see if we can come up with a strategy to make this equation easier.

To turn this equation into an easier equation, let's divide both sides by 4.

Now our equation is much easier:

We have found that x=3.

To see this example in Algebra Calculator, type 4x=12. Feel free to try it now.