Isolate a variable

"Isolating a variable" is the way to describe the process we do when finding the value for a variable in an equation. All operations in mathematics can be paired with their inverse operation. When thinking of the solution to x+2=5 most student's brain is saying "what number do I add to 2 to get a 5?" This is all fine and dandy until you get to a more complicated problem. That is why certain language of the discipline must be introduced. Words and phrases such as: inverse operation, multiplication property of equality, addition property of equality, and combining like terms. With this language in place we can now think of x+2=5 as actually saying "what number do i get when I subtract 2 from 5?"