Balancing Equations / FREE Printable Worksheets - Worksheetfun - Free Printable

To solve these balancing equations, we need to make sure the total value on the left side of the equals sign ($=$) is exactly the same as the total value on the right side.

Here is the step-by-step solution for each equation:

Column 1:

1. $3 + 5 = 6 + \_\_$
* Left side: $3 + 5 = 8$
* Right side needs to equal 8. So, $6 + \text{what} = 8$?
* Answer: 2

2. $7 + \_\_ = 6 + 3$
* Right side: $6 + 3 = 9$
* Left side needs to equal 9. So, $7 + \text{what} = 9$?
* Answer: 2

3. $1 + 5 = \_\_ + 2$
* Left side: $1 + 5 = 6$
* Right side needs to equal 6. So, $\text{what} + 2 = 6$?
* Answer: 4

4. $2 + 2 = 3 + \_\_$
* Left side: $2 + 2 = 4$
* Right side needs to equal 4. So, $3 + \text{what} = 4$?
* Answer: 1

5. $4 + \_\_ = 5 + 2$
* Right side: $5 + 2 = 7$
* Left side needs to equal 7. So, $4 + \text{what} = 7$?
* Answer: 3

6. $4 + 5 = \_\_ + 3$
* Left side: $4 + 5 = 9$
* Right side needs to equal 9. So, $\text{what} + 3 = 9$?
* Answer: 6

7. $3 + 3 = \_\_$
* Left side: $3 + 3 = 6$
* Answer: 6

8. $3 + \_\_ = 4$
* Right side is 4.
* Left side needs to equal 4. So, $3 + \text{what} = 4$?
* Answer: 1

9. $2 + \_\_ = 8 + 1$
* Right side: $8 + 1 = 9$
* Left side needs to equal 9. So, $2 + \text{what} = 9$?
* Answer: 7

10. $7 + 1 = 2 + \_\_$
* Left side: $7 + 1 = 8$
* Right side needs to equal 8. So, $2 + \text{what} = 8$?
* Answer: 6

11. $1 + \_\_ = 2 + \_\_$
* *Note: This problem has multiple correct answers because there are two blanks. We just need both sides to equal the same number.*
* Example Solution: If we want both sides to equal 3, then $1 + 2 = 2 + 1$.
* Another Example: If we want both sides to equal 4, then $1 + 3 = 2 + 2$.
* Let's use the simplest one: 2 and 1 (making both sides equal 3).

Column 2:

12. $1 + \_\_ = 2 + 1$
* Right side: $2 + 1 = 3$
* Left side needs to equal 3. So, $1 + \text{what} = 3$?
* Answer: 2

13. $4 + 4 = \_\_ + 5$
* Left side: $4 + 4 = 8$
* Right side needs to equal 8. So, $\text{what} + 5 = 8$?
* Answer: 3

14. $5 + 0 = 2 + \_\_$
* Left side: $5 + 0 = 5$
* Right side needs to equal 5. So, $2 + \text{what} = 5$?
* Answer: 3

15. $3 + \_\_ = 4 + 4$
* Right side: $4 + 4 = 8$
* Left side needs to equal 8. So, $3 + \text{what} = 8$?
* Answer: 5

16. $7 + \_\_ = \_\_ + 4$
* *Note: Like #11, this has two blanks. We need both sides to balance.*
* Example Solution: Let's try to make both sides equal 10.
* Left: $7 + 3 = 10$. Right: $6 + 4 = 10$.
* Answers: 3 and 6 (There are other possible pairs too).

17. $\_\_ + 5 = 2 + \_\_$
* *Note: Two blanks again.*
* Example Solution: Let's try to make both sides equal 7.
* Left: $2 + 5 = 7$. Right: $2 + 5 = 7$.
* Answers: 2 and 5.

18. $3 + \_\_ = 9 + 0$
* Right side: $9 + 0 = 9$
* Left side needs to equal 9. So, $3 + \text{what} = 9$?
* Answer: 6

19. $2 + 2 = \_\_ + 0$
* Left side: $2 + 2 = 4$
* Right side needs to equal 4. So, $\text{what} + 0 = 4$?
* Answer: 4

20. $8 + 0 = 1 + \_\_$
* Left side: $8 + 0 = 8$
* Right side needs to equal 8. So, $1 + \text{what} = 8$?
* Answer: 7

21. $0 + 5 = 1 + \_\_$
* Left side: $0 + 5 = 5$
* Right side needs to equal 5. So, $1 + \text{what} = 5$?
* Answer: 4

22. $2 + \_\_ = 3 + 3$
* Right side: $3 + 3 = 6$
* Left side needs to equal 6. So, $2 + \text{what} = 6$?
* Answer: 4

Final Answer:
Here are the numbers to fill in the blanks, reading from left to right, top to bottom:

Left Column:
1. 2
2. 2
3. 4
4. 1
5. 3
6. 6
7. 6
8. 1
9. 7
10. 6
11. 2 and 1 (Example: $1+2=2+1$)

Right Column:
12. 2
13. 3
14. 3
15. 5
16. 3 and 6 (Example: $7+3=6+4$)
17. 2 and 5 (Example: $2+5=2+5$)
18. 6
19. 4
20. 7
21. 4
22. 4