Kitty lived next door to me, and we had been friends since childhood. We both studied at the same school and went there

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Kitty lived next door to me, and we had been friends since childhood. We both studied at the same school and went there together. I was sixteen, and she was four years older than me. However, we had a lot in common and enjoyed chatting on the way to school. Every morning, Kitty knocked on my door, and I had to be ready by that time because she was waiting for me.
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for me. One particular day, I overslept and Kitty arrived at my doorstep earlier than usual. I quickly got dressed, grabbed my backpack, and rushed out to join her.

As we walked towards school, Kitty seemed a bit distant and lost in her thoughts. I noticed her worried expression and asked her what was wrong. She hesitated for a moment but then opened up to me. It turned out that she had been struggling with her studies lately, especially in math.

Being the helpful and supportive friend that I am, I offered to assist her with any math problems she had. Kitty was relieved and appreciative of my offer. She handed me her math textbook and showed me a chapter on algebra that she was finding difficult.

The chapter covered the topic of solving linear equations. Kitty was having trouble understanding the steps involved in solving equations with variables on both sides. She had a specific example in mind from her homework, which she wanted me to explain.

The equation she pointed at was:
\[3x + 8 = 5x - 2\]

To solve this equation, the first step is to get rid of the constant terms on both sides of the equation. We can achieve this by subtracting \(3x\) from both sides, resulting in:
\[8 = 2x - 2\]

Next, we need to isolate the variable term. To do this, we can add \(2\) to both sides of the equation, giving us:
\[10 = 2x\]

Now, we only have \(2x\) on the right side of the equation. To isolate \(x\), we divide both sides of the equation by \(2\). This yields:
\[x = 5\]

Therefore, the solution to the equation \(3x + 8 = 5x - 2\) is \(x = 5\).

I explained each step to Kitty, making sure she understood the reasoning behind it. I also emphasized the importance of maintaining equality throughout the process by performing the same operations on both sides of the equation.

After the explanation, Kitty seemed much more confident and grateful for my help. We continued our walk to school, discussing other math concepts along the way.

In conclusion, this situation highlights the importance of friendship and support in overcoming academic challenges. Sometimes a little guidance and explanation can make a significant difference in understanding complex subjects like algebra.