# Spacing in a template-like format

I'm trying to make a beamer presentation on how to solve various linear equations through a 4-step process. Because of the template-like format of how I want the slides to look, I was thinking of originally making a table and then copy-pasting but then I realized that it would be easier to just have a command and then do multi-columns. However, the spacing doesn't work out well.

I need to have 2-3 spaces between each of the right lines because some steps in solving equations might not need much work, if they exist at all.

(Also, I always tend to have a "end frame" problem)

\documentclass{beamer}
\usepackage{multicol}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\newcommand{\howto}{
Mul by LCD, Distribute \\
\\
Isolate $x$'s \\
\\
Isolate constants \\
\\
Divide by coefficient
}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{\begin{center}
$3-\frac{1}{4}x=\frac{3}{2}$
\end{center}}

\begin{multicols}{2}

$4(3-\frac{1}{4}x)=4(\frac{3}{2})$ \\
$12-x=6$ \\
$12-12-x=6-12$ \\
$-x=-6$ \\
\\
\\
$\frac{-x}{-1}=\frac{-6}{-1}$ \\
$x=6$

\howto

\end{multicols}
\end{frame}

\end{document}


Probably something like the following is closer to what you wanted to achieve. The descriptive texts can be placed individually, so you can easily skip an equation line. I have also aligned all equations with respect to the = sign and changed the size of the parentheses.

\documentclass{beamer}

\newcommand{\stepone}{\text{1. Mul by LCD, Distribute}}
\newcommand{\steptwo}{\text{2. Isolate $x$'s}}
\newcommand{\stepthree}{\text{3. Isolate constants}}
\newcommand{\stepfour}{\text{4. Divide by coefficient}}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{$3-\frac{1}{4}x=\frac{3}{2}$}

\addtolength{\jot}{0.5em} \begin{aligned} 4\left(3-\frac{1}{4}x\right)&=4\left(\frac{3}{2}\right) &&\stepone \\ 12-x&=6 &&\steptwo \\ 12-12-x&=6-12 &&\stepthree \\ -x&=-6 \\ \frac{-x}{-1}&=\frac{-6}{-1} &&\stepfour \\ x&=6 \end{aligned}
\end{frame}

\end{document}