Sometimes instead of having an equation such as $3x + 7 = 22$, we have many variables such as $ax + b = c$. But our algebraic rules still apply and we can treat these letters the same way as we would treat the numbers: \begin{enumerate} \item Subtract $b$ from both sides \item Divide both sides by $a$ \end{enumerate} Which would have been the same as subtracting both sides by $7$ and then dividing by $3$ in our \textit{numerical} example. This type of mathematics - rearranging for a variable even when the other variables are unknown is very helpful in the mathematics that you will soon do. Practise this skill thoroughly: \begin{examplebox} \subsection{Examples:} \begin{questions} \Question[1] Rewrite $a(x+b) = c$ in terms of $x$. \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \[ x=\frac{c-a b}{a} \] \end{solutionordottedlines} \Question[1] Solve $mx-n =nx+m$ for $x$. \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \[x =\frac{m+n}{m-n}\] \end{solutionordottedlines} \end{questions} \end{examplebox} \begin{exercisebox} \subsection{Exercises:} \begin{questions} \question Solve each of these equations for \(x\). \begin{parts}\begin{multicols}{2} \part \[x+b=c\] \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \end{solutionordottedlines} \part \[p-x=q\] \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \end{solutionordottedlines} \part \[c x=b\] \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \end{solutionordottedlines} \part \[a(x+b)=c\] \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \end{solutionordottedlines} \part \[\frac{x}{a}=b\] \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \end{solutionordottedlines} \part \[\frac{x}{a}+b=c\] \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \end{solutionordottedlines} \part \[\frac{a x}{b}+c=d\] \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \end{solutionordottedlines} \part \[\frac{m x-n}{n}=m\] \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \end{solutionordottedlines} \part \[\frac{x}{a}-\frac{a}{b}=b\] \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \end{solutionordottedlines} \part \[a x+b=c x+d\] \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \end{solutionordottedlines} \part \[a(x+b)=c x+d\] \begin{solutionordottedlines}[2cm] \end{solutionordottedlines} \end{multicols}\end{parts} \end{questions} \end{exercisebox}