Now that we know what equations are, we'll look at what the goal of solving equations is. When we're solving equations, our goal is to figure out what number the variable represents. Some equations will be pretty simple to solve, some might take quite a few steps. But the important thing to know is whether or not we have actually found our solution. So let's look at a pretty simple equation. Here we have a plus five equals twelve. So we'd want to figure out what number A represents. We can do a little mental math and figure out that seven plus five equals twelve. That means that A is seven. Or mathematically, we can write it as A equals seven. Once you get down to this step, no matter how complicated your equation is, or how many steps that it takes to solve it, once you get down to this step, that's when you know your equation is solved. Notice that we have three parts written here. We have our variable that's by itself on one side of the equation, we have an equal sign in the middle, and on the other side we have a number by itself that represents the solution. Just remember, we have a variable by itself, an equal sign in the middle and a number on the other side. Once you see that, you know that your equation is solved. Let's look at some equations to see if they are solved or not. Our first example is m equals five. We have a variable, an equal sign and a number. So yes, it is solved. It says that m is five. We already know what the variable is. In this example, we have B minus three equals ten. We don't have the same format that we see as the one above it. This time, instead of just the variable by itself on the left side of the equation, we have that minus three with it. So that tells us that this equation is not solved. Okay, the variable has to be by itself on that side of the equation. Now we have nine x equals 27. This is another equation that is not solved. Because our variable x is not by itself, it has that nine next to it. Remember, we call that the coefficient when the number is next to the variable being multiplied with it. And since it has that coefficient with it, the variable is not by itself. So no, this equation also is not solved. Now we have eight equals W. Now, even though the eight is on the left side and the variable W is on the right side, this equation is still solved. We still have just those three parts, the variable by itself, an equal sign and a number on the other side of the equation. So it's completely okay if the number is first and then the variable is on the other side of the equation. As long as it just has those three parts then it is solved. So as we move forward and we start to look at the specific ways of how to solve all different types of equations, just keep that in mind. This is how you know that your equation is solved. Once it gets down to having just those three parts the variable, equal sign, and a number.