You need to gather the knowns on one side of the equals (usually the right) and the unknowns on the other side. So we need to get the n's together. But there's a problem in your question, because you have -n on both sides of the equation. They would cancel one another out and you'd be left with an inequality -24 = 5, which is never true. Check out the question again. Let's assume it should have been n-24=5-n. Transferring -n from right to left over the equals sign makes it +n, added to the n already there makes 2n. Similarly transferring -24 from left to right changes it to +24 added to 5 makes 29. So the equation becomes 2n = 29. Take the 2 from the left that was multiplying over to the right where it now divides and we get 29/2 = 14.5 or 14 and a half. Go back to the question and substitute this value for n and we get 14.5 - 24 = 5 - 14.5. Both sides come to -9.5 so the solution is correct. But you need to go back and get the right problem before you hand in your math assignment!