Variables are like empty boxes in math problems. You can think of them as placeholders for numbers.

For example, when you see $x + 3$, the $x$ is a variable. It can stand for any number. If we say $x = 2$, then the expression becomes $2 + 3$, which equals $5$.

How Variables Work:

• Show Different Values: Variables can change. For example, if $y = 4$, then in the problem $y - 1$, we can figure out $4 - 1$, which gives us $3$.

• Create Equations: They help us make connections between numbers. For example, in the equation $2x + 5 = 9$, we can find out what $x$ is.

In short, variables are super helpful! They let us share math ideas and solve problems when we don’t know all the numbers. This makes algebra a really useful tool!