you subtract 6y from y just like you do with numbers 6 -1 = 5 and 6y - y = 5y

1 - 5 = -4 and y - 6y = - 5y it is that simple.

Remember that x,y, a, b etc... in mathematics are numbers and just like any number they can be multiplied, divided, added or subtracted. The difference between y and say 4 is that 4 is known and cannot be anything but 4. Mathematicians use letters to make things general or if the quantity is unknown. So y, x, a, b, etc...could be any number and once you solve a problem and find a value for x let's say that satisfies the equation, then x becomes known and well defined for that problem but x may have a different value in another problem and context.

I hope this helps.

y=6y+39

y-6y=39

-5y=39

y=39/5

It's just like 1-6, pretty much. Then you divide -5y by -5 to get y by itself,, and if you do it on one side, you do it on the other. so 39/5 is a decimal, and most teachers like it in fractions ... so 39/5.

y just means 1y.

So y - 6y will be -5y

y = 6y + 39 (subtract 6y)

-5y = 39

----....----- (Divide by -5 to get y by itself)

-5......-5

y = -7.8 (or -39/5)

well y=6y+39

so

-5y=39

y= -7.8 as far as i can tell

Use wolframalpha.com for things like this.

Then click on show steps in the answer box.

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=y%3D6y%2B39+s...

1y=6y+39

-1y..-1y

0=5y+39

-39...-39

-39=5y

***...***

-5...-5

y=39/5