Rearranging Formulas
Treat the variable you want as the unknown and undo the operations around it.
The rules
- Identify the variable to isolate.
- Undo addition and subtraction first, then multiplication and division.
- If the variable appears twice, collect those terms on one side and factor it out.
- Keep the whole expression as you divide.
Watch out: Dividing only one term instead of the whole side.
Worked example
Solve A = (1/2)bh for h.
- Multiply both sides by 2: 2A = bh.
- Divide by b: h = 2A/b.
Answer: h = 2A/b
Try it yourself
Practice questions for this skill are for signed-in students. A free account is all you need.