11:22 PM
@gung Typically called changing the subject of an equation. It's a whole topic in algebra for teenagers here. Also "changing the subject of a formula", though that's somewhat more often used in physics classes I think.
It seems to be the same expression in the UK.
Terms like "rearranging a formula" or your suggested term are similar but less specific; in the V=IR example, the variable V is the subject of the formula (the thing you will find from the other terms on the RHS), and then in the new formula R is the subject. However if I start with 4 variables in an equation like PV=nRT (the variables being P,V, n and T), none of the variables is the subject of the equation, and if I then rearrange that to P/T = nR/V then I stlll don't have a "subject"
It's a very handy term when outlining a suggestion of a way to solve a problem to someone (e.g. substitute (1) into (2), then change the subject of the equation, then find the minimum). We could say something like "rearrange" but ... it's not quite as specific, because that doesn't necessarily tell you to isolate a variable on the left hand side.