To keep our brain in BALANCE
In BALANCE EQUATION, basically it shows the atom number is equal in each side ( right and left)
Without taking a balance, it's just a SKELETON EQUATION
Ex.
H + O2 = H2O (2O left and 1O right, which is not balance)
H + O2 = 2H2O (2O left and 2O right, O's done, BUT consequently it also adds up the H)
4H + O2 = 2H2O (O2 = O2, 4H = 4H ) DONE~
More
It has shown that both atoms in each side is equal.
MOREOVER,
Once we see NO3, NO4, SO3, SO2, CO2 ..... < we can count on 1 per one compound in each side
One more method