Choose an equation to work with. For example, consider, 2(x + 3) = 6x + 2x.
Use the distributive property to solve the items in parenthesis first. Multiply 2 by x to get 2x and multiply 2 by 3 to get 6. This yields 2x + 6 = 6x + 2x.
Combine like terms. Like terms refer to each item within the equation that are similar. For this example, there are no like terms on the left side of the equation. On the right side, however, you add 6x and 2x to get 8x. The equation then reads 2x + 6 = 8x.
Get the variable on one side of the equation. To do this, you must perform the same mathematical operation to both sides of the equation. Remove the 2x from the left side of the equation by subtracting it from both sides, leaving only the 6 on the left. The equation then reads: 6 = 6x.
Finish isolating the variable. The last step in solving this equation is to quantify "x." To do this, you must divide 6x by 6 to leave only an x. Dividing both sides of the equation by 6 leaves 1 on the left side of the equation. The answer is then 1 = x, or x = 1.