Question

What does it mean to solve a literal equation for y, and what are the steps involved in solving such an equation?

Answer 1

To solve a literal equation for y means to isolate the variable y in the equation. This involves rearranging the equation so that y is on one side of the equation by itself.

Step-by-step explanation:

To solve a literal equation for y means to isolate the variable y in the equation. This involves rearranging the equation so that y is on one side of the equation by itself. The steps involved in solving a literal equation for y are:

1. Determine the terms that involve y in the equation.
2. Get rid of any terms that are not y using inverse operations.
3. Perform any necessary algebraic operations to isolate y.
4. Simplify the equation and express y in terms of the other variables or constants.

For example, if we have the equation 2x + 3y = 12, to solve for y, we would first subtract 2x from both sides of the equation to get 3y = 12 - 2x. Then, we can divide both sides by 3 to get y = (12 - 2x) / 3. This is the solution for y in terms of x.