Step 1: Clarify the problem Before solving the equation, we must first clarify the conditions of the problem and clearly list the known information and unknowns in the problem. Usually, unknowns are represented by letters, such as x.

Step 2: Column Equation According to the conditions of the problem, the problem is transformed into an equation with algebraic expressions. Equations usually use an equal sign (=) to connect known information with unknown information. For example, the problem is "twice a certain number plus 3 equals 9", and the equation can be written as 2x+3 = 9.

The third step: simplify the equation and ensure that the left and right formulas of the equation are simplified as much as possible. This may include operations such as merging similar terms, eliminating fractions and moving terms to make the equation easier to solve. In the above example, you can simplify the equation to 2x = 6.

Step 4: Separate the unknown from the known in the equation. This usually involves moving known numbers to one side of the equation and unknown numbers to the other. In the above example, you can move 2x to the right of the equal sign and get x = 6 ÷ 2, which means x = 3.

Step 5: Check the solution After you get the solution of the equation, you usually need to check the solution to ensure that the conditions in the original problem are met. Substitute the solution into the original equation and check whether both sides of the equal sign are equal. If they are equal, then your solution is correct. If they are not equal, the calculation process needs to be rechecked.

Step 6: Express the solution If the solution is correct, express it in an appropriate way, usually in the form of "x = solution". In this way, you know clearly what the unknown value is.

Step 7: Summarize Finally, summarize your solution to ensure that you have answered the question and solved the equation. If the problem involves multiple unknowns, you may need to continue further operations to solve other unknowns.