If you want to start getting comfortable with 'Algebra', try it like this: A big math rule that you'll use for the rest of your life is: When you see an 'equals' sign, you can do anything you want to the stuff on one side of it, but whatever you do on one side, you must do exactly the same thing to the other side. Let's do your problem that way. Right now, you have (2 x 2) = 3 + ? . . . Let's subtract 3 from each side. You'll see how useful that can be. When you do that, your question says (2 x 2)-3 = ? . . . . Look at the left side. You know that 2x2 is 4 . So the question says 4 - 3 = ? . How much is 4 - 3 ? My calculator says it's ' 1 ' . So now your question says 1 = ? and there's the answer. ... Once you subtracted 3 from each side, it practically solved itself.
