Literal Equations & Formulas

A literal equation is an equation made mostly of letters — a formula like $A = \ell w$ or $P_1 V_1 = P_2 V_2$. Solving one means rearranging it to get a chosen variable by itself, with everything else on the other side.

The moves are exactly the moves you already use on number equations — you just carry the other letters along:

• Undo operations in reverse order, doing the same thing to both sides.
• To free a variable that is multiplied by something, divide by it; to free one that is added, subtract.
• The answer is an expression, not a number — the variable in terms of the rest.

These are real, released Regents questions.