The equation is based on the principle that accounting deals with property and rights to property and the sum of the properties owned is equal to the sum of the rights to the properties. The properties owned by a business are called assets and the rights to properties are known as liabilities or equities of the business. Equities can be subdivided into equity of the owners which is known as capital and equity of creditors who represent the debts of the business know as liabilities.
Liabilities = Assets – Capital.