91Ó°ÊÓ

Isolating the variable is a crucial step in solving linear equations. The goal is to get the variable by itself on one side of the equation.
Consider the given equation:
$$ q + 9.5 = -14 $$
To isolate the variable 'q', we need to eliminate the constant term 9.5 on the left side.
We do this by performing the opposite operation. Since 9.5 is added to 'q', we subtract 9.5 from both sides of the equation:
\begin{align*} q + 9.5 - 9.5 & = -14 - 9.5 \ q & = -23.5 \ \text{So, the variable 'q' is isolated and is equal to -23.5.} \ \text{Remember:} \ \begin{itemize} \ \text{- Always perform the same operation on both sides of the equation.} \ \text{- Use addition to eliminate subtraction, and subtraction to eliminate addition.} \ \text{- Your goal is to leave the variable alone on one side of the equation.} \ \text{- This step is essential to finding the solution.} \ \text{- Double-check your work to ensure accuracy.} \ \text{Let's move on to why checking solutions is important.} \ \text{Keep practicing to perfect this crucial skill!