How do you solve for liabilities when only given assets?

To solve for liabilities you have to have assets and owners equity. If you are given these two balances, then to find liabilities remember the accounting equation.

Assets = Liabilities + Owners Equity (Stockholders Equity)

Rearrange the equation to find

Assets - Owners Equity = Liabilities

For example if you have

Assets 500 = Liabilities X = Owners Equity $300

Assets $500 - OE $300 = Liab. $200

The equation original form would look like this.

$500 = $200 + $300

If you are not given at least two balances, there is really no way to figure the Liabilities.