How can I balance this chemical equation? Sodium phosphate and calcium chloride react to form calcium phosphate and sodium chloride

This is a double replacement reaction. Here's how to

Your unbalanced equation is

##"Na"_3"PO"_4 + "CaCl"_2 → "Ca"_3("PO"_4)_2 + "NaCl"##

1. Start with the most complicated formula, ##"Ca"_3("PO"_4)_2##.

Put a 1 in front of it. We have now fixed the number of ##"Ca"## atoms and ##"PO"_4## groups.

##"Na"_3"PO"_4 + "CaCl"_2 →color(red)(1)"Ca"_3("PO"_4)_2 + "NaCl"##

2. Balance ##"Ca"##. Put a 3 in front of ##"CaCl"_2##.

##"Na"_3"PO"_4 + color(blue)(3)"CaCl"_2 → color(red)(1)"Ca"_3("PO"_4)_2 + "NaCl"##

.

3. Balance ##"PO"_4##. Put a 2 in front of ##"Na"_3"PO"_4##.

##color(orange)(2)"Na"_3"PO"_4 + color(blue)(3)"CaCl"_2 → color(red)(1) "Ca"_3("PO"_4)_2 + "NaCl"##

4. Balance ##"Na"##. Put a 6 in front of ##"NaCl"##.

##color(orange)(2) "Na"_3"PO"_4 + color(blue)(3) "CaCl"_2 → color(red)(1)"Ca"_3("PO"_4)_2 + color(teal)(6) "NaCl"##

5. Every formula has a coefficient.

The equation should be balanced. Let's check.

Left hand side: ##"6 Na; 2 PO"_4"; 3 Ca; 6 Cl"## Right hand side: ##"3 Ca; 2 PO"_4"; 6 Na; 6 Cl"##.

Everything checks. the balanced equation is

##"2Na"_3"PO"_4 + "3CaCl"_2 → "Ca"_3("PO"_4)_2 + "6NaCl"##