Labs / Mathematics
Equation Balance
Each pan holds x-tiles and unit blocks that stand for the two sides of a linear equation. Drag an operation onto the balance to apply it to both sides at once — whatever you do to one pan you must do to the other — and keep simplifying until a single x sits alone and the beam settles level.
eq 2x + 3 = x + 7hint Tips right — subtract the x from both sides.solved not yet
What to try
- Why does the same operation always have to land on both pans — what happens to the equation if it didn't?
- When x sits on both sides, which move gets rid of it — and which pan does the beam lean toward first?
- Does the order of your moves matter? Can you clear the numbers before the x's and still land on the same answer?
- Some cards, like "+ 1", are legal but don't help. How can you tell a useful move from a busy one?
- Crank the difficulty to Hard. What extra step does a coefficient bigger than one force you to take at the end?