Prism99 wrote To get a alone on the left, subtract 5 from both sides.
5+a-5 = 51-5
a = 51-5 (because 5-5 on the left is zero)
a = 46
Once you are used to this, you can do it all in your head. I would have immediately re-written the equation as:
a=51-5
a=46[/quote]
Okay are you saying that it's correct to re-write the problem?
17 = 22 - u
u = 22 - 17 = 5
Because that is much easier to understand than "jumping the shark" ( which my instructor said originated from the show Happy Daz.) I know you are wondering how that has anything to do with math.