Primordial Nucleosynthesis without a Computer

Approximate results for the standard theory of big bang nucleosynthesis are derived analytically, i.e., without the use of the Wagoner code, using ideas of fixed points and freezeout. The element abundances follow quasi-static equilibrium and eventually freeze out near their final values. The calculations are relatively simple and provide a better understanding of the physics than is possible from a numerical code containing nearly 100 reactions.