Simple Step-by-step Solutions with Examples

Simple Step-by-step Solutions with Numeric Examples

Each problem shows simple numbered steps and a worked numeric example. Fractions written in
words.

3) ORIGINAL: A = one half times h times (a plus b)

WANT: make h the subject
Step 1: Multiply both sides by two so the one half disappears. Result: two A equals h times
(a plus b).
Step 2: Divide both sides by (a plus b) to isolate h. Result: h equals two A divided by (a
plus b).
Answer: h equals two A divided by (a plus b).
Example: Let A = 30, a = 4, b = 6.
Step A: two A equals two times thirty equals sixty.
Step B: a plus b equals four plus six equals ten.
Step C: h equals sixty divided by ten equals six.
Example answer: h equals six.

4) ORIGINAL: A = one half times b times h

WANT: make h the subject
Step 1: Multiply both sides by two. Result: two A equals b times h.
Step 2: Divide both sides by b to isolate h. Result: h equals two A divided by b.
Answer: h equals two A divided by b.
Example: Let A = 20, b = 5.
Step A: two A equals forty.
Step B: h equals forty divided by five equals eight.
Example answer: h equals eight.

5) ORIGINAL: C = two pi times r

WANT: make r the subject
Step 1: Divide both sides by two pi to isolate r. Result: r equals C divided by two pi.
Answer: r equals C divided by two pi.
Example: Let C = 31.4 and use pi = 3.14.
Step A: two pi equals two times 3.14 equals 6.28.
Step B: r equals 31.4 divided by 6.28 equals 5.
Example answer: r equals five.

6) ORIGINAL: A = pi times r squared

WANT: make r the subject
Step 1: Divide both sides by pi. Result: r squared equals A divided by pi.
Step 2: Take the square root of both sides. Result: r equals the square root of A divided by
pi.
Answer: r equals the square root of A divided by pi.
Example: Let A = 78.5 and pi = 3.14.
Step A: r squared equals 78.5 divided by 3.14 equals 25.
Step B: r equals the square root of 25 equals five.
Example answer: r equals five.

7) ORIGINAL: V = pi times r squared times h

WANT: make h the subject
Step 1: Divide both sides by pi times r squared to isolate h. Result: h equals V divided by
pi times r squared.
Answer: h equals V divided by pi times r squared.
Example: Let r = 2, V = 50.24 and pi = 3.14.
 Step A: pi times r squared equals 3.14 times 4 equals 12.56.
Step B: h equals 50.24 divided by 12.56 equals four.
Example answer: h equals four.

8) ORIGINAL: v = u plus a times t

WANT: make t the subject
Step 1: Subtract u from both sides. Result: v minus u equals a times t.
Step 2: Divide both sides by a to isolate t. Result: t equals v minus u divided by a.
Answer: t equals v minus u divided by a.
Example: Let v = 11, u = 5, a = 2.
Step A: v minus u equals 11 minus 5 equals 6.
Step B: t equals 6 divided by 2 equals three.
Example answer: t equals three.

9) ORIGINAL: one divided by u plus one divided by v equals one divided by f

WANT: make f the subject
Step 1: Combine left side with common denominator u times v: (v plus u) all over u times v
equals one divided by f.
Step 2: Take the reciprocal of both sides. Result: f equals u times v divided by u plus v.
Answer: f equals u times v divided by u plus v.
Example: Let u = 4 and v = 6.
Step A: u times v equals four times six equals twenty four.
Step B: u plus v equals four plus six equals ten.
Step C: f equals twenty four divided by ten equals two point four.
Example answer: f equals two point four.

10) ORIGINAL: A = pi times r squared plus two pi times r times h

WANT: make h the subject
Step 1: Subtract pi times r squared from both sides. Result: A minus pi times r squared
equals two pi times r times h.
Step 2: Divide both sides by two pi times r to isolate h. Result: h equals A minus pi times
r squared divided by two pi times r.
Answer: h equals A minus pi times r squared divided by two pi times r.
Example: Let r = 3, h expected 4, use pi = 3.14. Compute A first.
Step A: pi times r squared equals 3.14 times 9 equals 28.26.
Step B: two pi times r times h equals two times 3.14 times 3 times 4 equals 75.36.
Step C: A equals 28.26 plus 75.36 equals 103.62.
Step D: Now solve for h from A: A minus pi times r squared equals 103.62 minus 28.26
equals 75.36.
Step E: two pi times r equals two times 3.14 times 3 equals 18.84.
Step F: h equals 75.36 divided by 18.84 equals four.
Example answer: h equals four.

11) ORIGINAL: a times x = b times x plus c

WANT: make x the subject
Step 1: Subtract b times x from both sides to bring x terms together. Result: a times x
minus b times x equals c.
Step 2: Factor out x. Result: x times (a minus b) equals c.
Step 3: Divide both sides by a minus b. Result: x equals c divided by a minus b.
Answer: x equals c divided by a minus b.
Example: Let a = 5, b = 2, c = 9.
Step A: a minus b equals five minus two equals three.
Step B: x equals nine divided by three equals three.
Example answer: x equals three.

12) ORIGINAL: x equals square root of (b plus a times j)

 WANT: make j the subject
Step 1: Square both sides to remove the square root. Result: x squared equals b plus a
times j.
Step 2: Subtract b from both sides. Result: x squared minus b equals a times j.
Step 3: Divide both sides by a. Result: j equals x squared minus b divided by a.
Answer: j equals x squared minus b divided by a.
Example: Let x = five, a = two, b = one.
Step A: x squared equals five times five equals twenty five.
Step B: x squared minus b equals twenty five minus one equals twenty four.
Step C: j equals twenty four divided by two equals twelve.
Example answer: j equals twelve.

13) ORIGINAL: B = a times x squared minus b times x plus c

WANT: make x the subject
Step 1: Move B to the right side so one side is zero. Result: a times x squared minus b
times x plus c minus B equals zero.
Step 2: Use the quadratic formula: x equals b plus or minus the square root of b squared
minus four times a times c minus B, all divided by two times a.
Step 3: Check the number under the square root called the discriminant to see if solutions
are real.
Answer: x equals b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus four a times (c minus
B) divided by two a.
Example: Let a = 1, b = 4, c = 1, B = 0.
Step A: Compute discriminant: b squared minus four a times (c minus B) equals sixteen
minus four times one times one equals twelve.
Step B: Square root of twelve equals approximately three point four six four.
Step C: x equals four plus three point four six four divided by two equals seven point
four six four divided by two equals three point seven three two.
Step D: x equals four minus three point four six four divided by two equals zero point
five three six divided by two equals zero point two six eight.
Example answers: x equals approximately three point seven three and x equals
approximately zero point two seven.

14) ORIGINAL: A = P times (1 plus r divided by one hundred) to the power n

WANT: make r the subject
Step 1: Divide both sides by P. Result: A divided by P equals (1 plus r divided by one
hundred) to the power n.
Step 2: Take the n-th root of both sides. Result: the n-th root of A divided by P equals 1
plus r divided by one hundred.
Step 3: Subtract one from both sides. Result: the n-th root of A divided by P minus one
equals r divided by one hundred.
Step 4: Multiply both sides by one hundred. Result: r equals one hundred times the n-th
root of A divided by P minus one.
Answer: r equals one hundred times the n-th root of A divided by P minus one.
Example: Let P = one thousand, A = one thousand two hundred ten, n = two.
Step A: A divided by P equals 1210 divided by 1000 equals 1.21.
Step B: n-th root means square root since n equals two. Square root of 1.21 equals 1.1.
Step C: subtract one gives 0.1.
Step D: r equals one hundred times 0.1 equals ten.
Example answer: r equals ten percent.

15) ORIGINAL: x times (1 plus y divided by b) to the power n equals m

WANT: make y the subject
Step 1: Divide both sides by x. Result: (1 plus y divided by b) to the power n equals m
divided by x.
Step 2: Take the n-th root of both sides. Result: 1 plus y divided by b equals the n-th
root of m divided by x.
Step 3: Subtract one from both sides. Result: y divided by b equals the n-th root of m
divided by x minus one.
Step 4: Multiply both sides by b. Result: y equals b times the n-th root of m divided by x
minus one.
Answer: y equals b times the n-th root of m divided by x minus one.
Example: Let x = two, b = five, n = two, m = eight.
Step A: m divided by x equals eight divided by two equals four.
Step B: n-th root means square root since n equals two. Square root of four equals two.
Step C: subtract one gives one.
Step D: y equals five times one equals five.
Example answer: y equals five.

End of worked examples.