Question

select the answer that best completes the given statement. solving a formula for a variable means rewriting the formula so that the variable is

Explanation:

When solving a formula for a variable, the goal is to get the variable by itself (isolated) on one side of the equation. For example, if we have the formula \(A = lw\) (area of a rectangle) and we want to solve for \(l\), we use algebraic operations (in this case, dividing both sides by \(w\)) to get \(l=\frac{A}{w}\), where \(l\) is isolated on one side. Eliminating the variable would mean getting rid of it completely, which is not the purpose. Having a coefficient of 1 is part of the isolation process (e.g., if we have \(2x = y\), dividing by 2 gives \(x=\frac{y}{2}\), where \(x\) has a coefficient of 1 and is isolated), but the key concept is isolation.

Answer:

isolated on one side.