Please watch this video I just assigned on Khan: Intro to equations with variables on both sides

Also, here is one problem from this week’s IXL I typed out:

Solve for q. –4 − 5q = 10 − 3q
You need to isolate the q.  First add 4 to both sides to get rid of that -4 on the left.  Now you have -5q = 14 – 3q    which is the same as -5q = 14 + (-3q) ->very helpful to see it that way. Next you want to get rid of the qs on the right side.  To get rid of -3q you add 3q (to both sides) Now you have -2q = 14 Next divide both sides by -2.You have q = -7.
You can check that, plug in -7 for q.   -4 – 5(-7) = 10 – 3(-7).  -4+35 = 10 +21.  31=31.  It works.