Basic AlgebraHESI A2 cheat sheet

Solving for the unknown

7 key facts Reviewed Oct 2026

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One-Step

Do the inverse operation to both sides
x + 9 = 15 → x = 6

Multi-Step

Distribute, combine like terms, then undo in reverse PEMDAS order
3x − 4 = 11 → 3x = 15 → x = 5

Translating

'Five more than twice a number' → 2n + 5
'Three less than a number' → n − 3

Check

Substitute the answer into the original equation

Key takeaway

Solving for the unknown

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