A one-step division equation represents an unknown quantity divided by a known, nonzero number, as in . Solving preserves equality by applying the inverse operation—multiplying both sides by —with integers, fractions, or decimals as appropriate, then checking the result by substitution; this develops understanding of inverse operations and supports later work with multi-step equations, without extending to variable divisors or more complex rational equations.
A one-step division equation has the unknown divided by a known number, such as
To find , use the inverse of division: multiplication. Multiply both sides by the divisor .
Solve:
The variable is divided by . Multiply both sides by :
On the left, , so the left side becomes :
Check the answer by substituting for in the original equation:
Since , the answer is correct.
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