jöfnuna

Jöfnuna is the definite singular form of the Icelandic noun jöfnun, used to denote an equation or the act of balancing expressions in mathematics. The term stems from jafna, meaning to balance or to make equal, and is related to the broader concept of equality in Icelandic.

In mathematics, jöfnun refers to a statement asserting the equality of two algebraic expressions. The common verb phrase lanesa jöfnuna? (corrected) is actually leyso jöfnuna, meaning to solve the equation. Solving typically involves applying the same operation to both sides of the equation to preserve equality, such as adding or subtracting a number, or multiplying or dividing both sides by a nonzero number.

An example: the jöfnuna 2x + 3 = 7 is solved by subtracting 3 from both sides to yield 2x = 4, and then dividing by 2 to obtain x = 2. In educational contexts the concept is introduced in algebra and continues in more advanced topics such as systems of equations. The term jöfnun can also appear in a broader sense to denote the process of making things equal or balanced, including non-mathematical contexts.

See also: jafna, jöfnun.