You can use this property to solve any addition equation.

Remember to
check your solution by substituting it back into the original equation.
Isolating the
Variable When
trying to decide
which value to Solve an Addition Equation
subtract from each
side of an addition 1 Solve x + 5 = 3. Check your solution.
equation, remember
that your goal is to
get the variable by METHOD 1 Use the vertical method.
itself on one side of
the equation. This is x+5= 3 Write the equation.
called isolating the
variable. x+5= 3
-5 = ___
________-5 Subtract 5 from each side.
x = -2

METHOD 2 Use the horizontal method.

x+5=3 Write the equation.
x+5-5=3-5 Subtract 5 from each side.
x = -2

The solution is -2.

Check x+5=3 Write the original equation.
-2 + 5  3 Replace x with -2. Is this sentence true?
3=3 The sentence is true.

Solve each equation. Check your solution.

a. a + 6 = 2 b. y + 3 = -8 c. 5 = n + 4

Addition and subtraction are called inverse operations because they

“undo” each other. For this reason, you can use the Addition Property
of Equality to solve subtraction equations like x - 7 = -5.

+%9#/.#%04 Addition Property of Equality

Words If you add the same number to each side of an equation, the
two sides remain equal.
Examples Numbers Algebra
7=7 x-5=6
7+3=7+3 x-5+5=6+5
10 = 10 x = 11

66 Chapter 1 Algebra: Integers