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Mathematics

Equations in Mathematics

Quick fact

The word 'equation' comes from the Latin 'aequatio', meaning 'equalization', and the equals sign '=' was first used in 1557 by Welsh mathematician Robert Recorde, who said 'no two things can be more equal' than two parallel lines.

Why this is interesting

You've solved equations without even thinking about it—balancing a budget or doubling a recipe requires the same logic: keeping two sides equal. So what exactly makes an equation so powerful?