If you have the name of a compound, how would you figure out the chemical formula?

first.. huge part of chemistry nomenclature. chemistry foreign language , vocabulary part

second..
cations come first
anions second
if name ends in "ide" means anion monoelemental. 1 element

third...
balance charges.
@ periodic table. http://www.ptable.com
elements in column 1 form +1 ion
elements in column 2 form +2 ion
elements in column 13 form +3 ion... that's 13.. not 3!
column 14.. +4 or -4
column 15.. +3
column 16.. +2
column 17.. +1
column 18... unreactive.
other columns transition or rare earth metals , can form ions variety of charges

again, these usual charges.. not absolute.

*********
potassium bromide...
.. k cation.. br anion
.. k in column 1.. forms ion charge +1
.. br in column 17.. forms ion -1 charge
...to balance, need 1 of each.. kbr

hydrogen chloride..
.. h cation , in column 1 forms h+1
.. cl anion , in column 17.. forms cl -1
.. balancing charges.. hcl

magnesium chloride
.. mg +2
.. cl -1
.. mgcl2.. balance charges.

like if had potassium bromide or hydrogen chloride

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