This document provides steps for balancing a chemical equation. It first emphasizes that balancing the reaction is the most important step for stoichiometric calculations. It then lists the two steps for balancing a reaction: 1) Count the number of atoms of each element in the reactants and products and list them. 2) Adjust the coefficients of the reactants or products so that the number of atoms for each element are equal on both sides of the equation. Balancing the reaction ensures the stoichiometric coefficients are correct for accurate stoichiometric calculations.