Write the unbalanced chemical equation
Count the atoms of each element on both sides
Balance one element at a time by adding coefficients
Start with elements that appear in only one reactant and one product
Leave hydrogen and oxygen for last
Do not change subscripts in chemical formulas
Recount atoms after each change
Reduce coefficients to the smallest whole-number ratio
Check that all elements are balanced on both sides
Verify the final equation is correct and simplest