Here’s the Best Method for Solving Two Step Equations

Get the free Two Step Equations worksheet and other resources for teaching & understanding how to solve Two Step Equations

A Short Guide for How to Solve Two Step Equations

Solving Two Step Equations involves primarily two steps, hence the name “Two Step Equations.” Solving Two Step Equations involved using properties of equality. The first step in solving two step equations is to get all of the contstants (numbers) on one side of teh equal sign, and the coefficient with the variable on the other side. In order to do this, you must use the addition and subtraction property of equality to get the constants on the opposite side as the variable. Once the constants are separated from the variable, you must use the multiplication or division property of equality to cancel out the coefficient on the variable. you can always check your answer by substituting your solution back into the equation for the variable.

Common Core Standard: 8.EE.C.7

Basic Topics: Combining Like Terms, Distributive Property, One Step Inequalities, Two Step Inequalities, Multi Step Inequalities

Return To: Home, 8th Grade

An Explanation of our Two Step Equations Example

Two Step Equations are solved in two stages. Solving Two Step Equations includes utilizing properties of uniformity. The first step in solving Two Step Equations is to get the constants (numbers) on one side of the equivalent sign, and the coefficient with the variable on the opposite side. To do this you should utilize the expansion and subtraction property of equality to get the constants on the opposite side as the variable. When the constants are isolated from the variable, you should utilize the multiplication or division property of equality to offset the coefficient on the variable. You can generally check your answer by substituting your answer back in to the equation for the variable.

A 3 Step Guide for Solving the Two Step Equations Example

Steps for solving the problem above:

First step is to add nine to both sides of the equation.
Second step is to divide both sides by nine.
Third step is to solve the equation for x equals two.

Two Step Equations Practice Problems Quiz

Video Explanation of Two Step Equations Definition

Watch our free video on how to solve Two Step Equations. This video shows how to solve problems that are on our free 2 Step Equations worksheet that you can get by submitting your email above.

Watch the free Two Step Equations video on YouTube here: Two Step Equations Worksheet

Video Transcript:

This video is about solving two step algebra equations.

Here’s our 2 step equations worksheet, let’s do some two step equations examples problems from it. First practice problem gives us 9 x minus 9 equals 9. The first thing we have to do when solving two-step equations is we have to get rid of this minus 9. We’re going to go ahead and add 9 to both sides. When we add 9 here, this minus sign this plus 9 will cancel and we’ll be left with 9 X on this side is equal to 9 plus 9 on this side, which is 18. Then the next step is we need to get rid of this 9 x this 9 x is like saying 9 times X. The opposite of multiplication is to divide, we’re going to go ahead and divide this by 9, and whatever you do to one side you have to do the other, we’re also going to divide this by 9. The nines over here will cancel and then 18 divided by 9 equals 2 and then like I said the 9s cancel on this side. We have just X and our final answer is x equals 2.

We’re going to jump to number 3 on our 2 step equations worksheets. Number 3 gives us 134 equals negative 10 X plus 14. Once again we have to get the negative 10 x on one side of the equation and the constants on the other side. We have to get rid of this plus 14 or we have to move the plus 14 over to this side. We’re going to subtract 14 here because the opposite of plus 14 is minus 14, whatever you do to one side you also have to do the other. We’re also going to subtract 14 from this side. These will cancel over here we have 134 minus 14 which is 120 equals negative 10x. You bring that straight down and this is like saying negative 10 times X or the coefficient on X would be negative 10. It’s like negative 10 times X, you have to divide this by negative 10 because the opposite of negative 10 times something is 2 divided by negative 10. Whatever you do to one side you also do the other. You also divide this side by negative 10 over here the negative 10 is canceled and you’re left with just X and then on this side you do 120 divided by negative 10 which would be negative 12. Our solution is negative 12 equals x.

The last 2 step equations examples we’re going to go over on our two step equation worksheet is number 7, which is 31 equals negative x minus 8. Our first step is we have to get rid of this negative 8 because it’s on the same side as the variable and we need to get all the constants on the same side together. The opposite of negative 8, or subtract 8, is to add 8. We’re going to add 8 to both sides, these will cancel, we’re left with 39 equals negative x. Then the final step and the reason we included this in our example video for two-step equations is to get rid of this negative 1x. In other words negative X is not the solution because it’s still not simplified, you have to make this a positive x. Even though it’s not written this is really like saying negative 1x. This is really like having a negative 1x here. In order to get rid of this negative 1 is to divide by negative 1. We divide here by negative 1 and we also divide here by negative 1. Now the negative ones cancel and you have just x over here and then 39 divided by negative 1 is negative 39 and that’s your answer. You can try all of these practice problems by downloading the free two step algebra equations worksheets above.