Three Step Equations

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Solving three step equations can be done using back tracking flowcharts.

Let’s review Back tracking Flowcharts.

The forward steps along the top of the flowchart need to be put into BODMAS or PEMDAS order.

The following is a typical three step equation, which has three mathematical operations performed on its letter variable.

Setting up a three step equation in a flowchart requires the following boxes and arrows.

The Opposite operations we use along the bottom of the flowchart are as follows.

Here is the completed flowchart for our example equation: (2m + 3) / 5 = 3

It is always advisable to check the final answer, by substituting it back into the original equation, and make sure it produces the required value.

Here is another example of a three step equation, this time involving negative numbers.

Summary

Three step equations require setting up a flowchart with four boxes and three arrows.

We need to be careful that we do the forward steps in BODMAS or PEMDAS order.

The reverse steps are then done as opposite operations along the bottom of the flowchart.

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