The accounting equation.

Assets equal liabilities plus equity. Double-entry accounting records each transaction so that this relationship remains balanced.

Put it into practice.

Borrowing $5,000 increases cash, an asset, and the loan liability by $5,000. It does not immediately create sales revenue or owner profit.

A common mistake

A transaction can affect two accounts on the same side of the equation. Buying equipment with cash changes the composition of assets rather than necessarily changing total assets.

Original independent study explanation. Revised October 2026. Practice assumptions are illustrative.