So I\'m solving a circuit, and it asks to solve for a specific resistor. I work the circuit down to the following equation. Given the equation where Va and Rf are unkown variables: 5 - 4Va = ((Rf/5) + 1) - (Rf/5)Va The worked solution says that you can set the following equal to each other: 5 = (Rf/5) + 1 (the coefficients of the non-variable parts) 4 = Rf/5 (the coefficients of Va) And therefore you can solve for Rf: Rf = 20 What math rule allows you to set the coefficients equal to each other like that? I see what they did, but I\'m not sure why you\'re allowed to do that. Is there a name for this method of solving the equation? Solution method of Undetermined Coefficients .