1. Simplify the left and right sides.
2. Use equation properties to isolate the variable on one side.
   1. a. First, use the addition or subtraction property.
   2. Next, use the multiplication or division property. In the previous section, you were encouraged to show what you were doing to both sides of the equation.

In this section, you are encouraged to "mentally do the same thing to both sides" writing down the result of that operation.