CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

Mathematics Assessment Project

CLASSROOM CHALLENGES
A Formative Assessment Lesson

Steps to Solving
Equations

Mathematics Assessment Resource Service

University of Nottingham & UC Berkeley
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 Steps to Solving Equations
MATHEMATICAL GOALS
This lesson unit is intended to help you assess how well students are able to:
• Form and solve linear equations involving factorizing and using the distributive law.
In particular, this unit aims to help you identify and assist students who have difficulties in:
• Using variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem.
• Solving word problems leading to equations of the form px + q = r and p(x + q) = r.

COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS

This lesson relates to the following Standards for Mathematical Content in the Common Core State
Standards for Mathematics:
7.EE: Use properties of operations to generate equivalent expressions.
Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic expressions and
equations
This lesson also relates to the following Standards for Mathematical Practice in the Common Core State
Standards for Mathematics:
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
4. Model with mathematics.

INTRODUCTION
The lesson unit is structured in the following way:
• Before the lesson, students attempt the assessment task individually. You then review students’
responses and formulate questions that will help them improve their work.
• During the lesson, students work collaboratively in pairs or threes, matching equations to stories
and then ordering the steps used to solve these equations. Throughout their work, students explain
their reasoning to their peers.
• Finally, students again work individually to review their work and attempt a second task, similar
to the initial assessment task.

MATERIALS REQUIRED
• Each student will need copies of the assessment tasks Express Yourself and Express Yourself
(revisited), and Card Set: Stories (not cut up), a mini-whiteboard, a pen, and an eraser.
• For each small group of students provide cut up copies of Card Set: Stories (cut up), Card Set:
Equations, and Card Set: Steps to Solving, a large sheet of paper for making a poster, a marker,
and a glue stick.
• There are also some projector resources to help with whole-class discussion.

TIME NEEDED
15 minutes before the lesson for the assessment task, a 1-hour lesson, and 15 minutes in a follow-up
lesson (or for homework). All timings are approximate, depending on the needs of your students.

Teacher guide Steps to Solving Equations T-1

 BEFORE THE LESSON

Assessment task: Express Yourself (15

minutes) Express Yourself
Have the students do this task, in class or for 1. Which of the equations below will answer the following question? Check (!) all that apply.
“I think of a number, add 7 and then multiply by 4.
homework, a day or more before the formative My answer is 80. What was my number?”

!!"!#$!%!$& !"!!"!#$!%!&' !!!"!#!$!%& !!!"!#$!%!$&

assessment lesson. This will give you an
opportunity to assess the work, and identify students Explain your answers.

who have misconceptions or need other forms of

help. You should then be able to target your help
Find the value of x.

more effectively in the follow-up lesson.

Give each student a copy of Express Yourself.
2. Look at the four diagrams below:
Introduce the task briefly and help the class to Diagram A Diagram B Diagram C Diagram D

understand what they are being asked to do. 2x+4 2x+2 2x x+1
Find the Area of Find the Area of Find the Find the
the rectangle. 2 the rectangle. 2 Perimeter of the 2 Perimeter of
the square.

Spend 15 minutes working individually, rectangle.

answering these questions. Which diagram does not result in the expression 4x + 4? Explain your answer fully.

Show all your work on the sheet.

Make sure you explain your answers really
clearly.
It is important that, as far as possible, students
Express Yourself (Continued)
answer the questions without assistance.
3. The numbers 5, 6 and 7 are an example of consecutive numbers, as one number comes after
another.

Students should not worry too much if they cannot Another three consecutive numbers are added together so that the first number, plus two times the
second number, plus three times the third number gives the total.

understand or do everything because you will teach Which of these expressions could represent the total? Check (!) all that apply.

a lesson using a similar task, which should help Total = x + 2x + 3x Total = x + 2x + 2 + 3x + 6

them. Explain to students that, by the end of the Total = x + 2(x + 1) + 3(x + 2) Total = x + (2x + 1) + (3x + 2)

next lesson, they should expect to answer questions Explain your answer.

such as these. This is their goal.

Assessing students’ responses

Collect students’ responses to the task. Make some The total of the three consecutive numbers is 170. What are the numbers? Explain your answer.

notes on what their work reveals about their current

levels of understanding and difficulties. The purpose
of this is to forewarn you of the issues that will arise
during the lesson, so that you may prepare carefully.
We suggest that you do not score students’ work. Research shows that this is counterproductive as it
encourages students to compare scores, and distracts their attention from how they may improve their
mathematics.
Instead, help students to make further progress by asking questions that focus attention on aspects of
their work. Some suggestions for these are given in the table on the next page. These have been
drawn from common difficulties observed in trials of this unit.
We strongly recommend that you write your own lists of questions, based on your students’ work,
using the ideas in the Common issues table. You may choose to write questions on each student’s
work. If you do not have time for this, then prepare a few questions that apply to most students and
write these on the board when the assessment task is revisited.

Teacher guide Steps to Solving Equations T-2

 Common issues: Suggested questions and prompts:
Student applies operations in the wrong order • In this expression, what is the first thing that
(Q1) happens to the number I am thinking of? Then
what happens?
For example: The student chooses 4x + 7 = 80 as an
appropriate equation. • What does x represent? What are you adding 7 to?
• Is adding 7 and then multiplying by 4 the same as
Or: The student chooses x + 28 = 80 as an appropriate
adding 28? How could you check this?
equation.

Student does not recognize all relevant expressions • How else could you write the expression 4(x +7)?
(Q1)
For example: The student chooses 4(x + 7) = 80 as
the only appropriate equation.

Student does not distinguish between area and • How do you calculate the area of a rectangle?
perimeter (Q2) • What does perimeter mean?
For example: The student writes an expression for the • Does your expression represent the area or the
area instead of the perimeter of the rectangles in perimeter of this rectangle?
Diagrams C and D.
Or: The student writes an expression for the perimeter
instead of the area of the rectangles in Diagrams A
and B.

Student assumes the three numbers are equal (Q3) • What does ‘consecutive’ mean?
• What does x represent?
For example: The student selects
Total = x + 2x + 3x as an appropriate expression. • Can you try some numbers to check that this
works?

Student does not multiply all terms in the bracket • What does x represent?
(Q3) • How do you write ‘one more than x’ using
For example: The student selects algebra? Now read the question again: what
Total = x + (2x + 1) + (3x + 2) as an appropriate happens next? What happens if you add two of
expression. these numbers together?

Student calculates an incorrect value for x • If you substitute your value of x into the left hand
(Q1, Q3) side of the equation, does it equal the number on
the right hand side?
• How will you check whether your value for x is
correct?

Student does not interpret the solution • You have found that x = 27. Read the question
again. What are the three consecutive numbers?
For example: The student does not realize that x
represents the number first thought of (Q1).
Or: The student does not recognize that x = 27 is the
first of the three consecutive numbers found (Q3).

Student completes the task • Can you make up a situation that would lead to
the equation 4(x + 3) =16?
• Could you solve these equations using a different
method? What would the method be?

Teacher guide Steps to Solving Equations T-3

 SUGGESTED LESSON OUTLINE

Whole-class introduction: (10 minutes)

Give each student a mini-whiteboard, pen, and an eraser.
Display Slide P-1 of the projector resource.
Writing Algebraic Expressions

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Area of rectangle = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Write an expression for the area of this rectangle on your whiteboard.

Spend time discussing the expressions students give. Some students may write the expression 4(x + 6)
whereas others may apply the distributive law to give 4x + 24. Explain their equivalence by
considering how the area of the single rectangle 4(x+6) may be split into the two smaller areas 4x and
24 by drawing a vertical line. Notice whether students make the mistake of writing the expression as
4x + 6 or whether they confuse the area of the rectangle with the perimeter.
Display Slide P-2 of the projector resource:

Writing Algebraic Expressions

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Perimeter of rectangle = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Write an expression for the perimeter of this rectangle on your whiteboard.

Again, spend time discussing the expressions given by students. Notice whether students collect like
terms to give 2(2x + 3) or 4x + 6, or whether they give an un-simplified expression, for example,
x + 3 + x + x + 3 + x. Display Slide P-3 of the projector resource:

Writing Algebraic Expressions

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Which two expressions are equivalent?

Teacher guide Steps to Solving Equations T-4

 Ask students to compare the expressions they have written for A and B with the expression that arises
from the description in C. Students should be able to identify that 4x + 6 is a suitable expression for C
and so the expressions for B and C are the same.
Display Slide P-4 of the projector resource:

Which Equations Describe The Story?

A pencil costs $2 less than a Let x represent the cost of

notebook. notebook.

A pen costs 3 times as much A: 3x ! 6 = 9

as a pencil. B: x!6=9
C: 3x ! 2 = 9
The pen costs $9
D: 3( x ! 2) = 9
Which of the four equations
opposite describe this story?

Students will often look at the numbers contained within an expression/equation when matching it
with a story and, as a result, misinterpret the description given.
Write the equations that you think represent the story on your whiteboard.
Students should be encouraged to think carefully about this and explore the differences between the
four equations. Discuss the responses given and spend some time discussing why equations A and D
are correct and why the others are incorrect:
If x is the cost of a notebook, what expression will give the cost of a pencil? [x-2]
If a pen costs 3 times as much as a pencil, what expression will give the cost of a pen?
[3(x-2) or 3x-6]
What mistakes have been made with B and C?
[The expression x-2 has been multiplied by 3 incorrectly in both cases.]
OK, so what is the cost of the notebook? [$5]. Can we check that this fits our equations?
Explain to students that in the next activity they will be writing and matching equations to stories in a
similar way.

Individual work: Writing equations (5 minutes)

Give each student Card Set: Stories (not cut up).
Here are six stories.
Spend 10 minutes on your own writing an equation for each of the stories.
In each case, let x represent the number you are trying to find.
Do not worry if you can’t write an equation for every story as, later on, you will be working in
groups on this.
In the next activity, students will be given six equations to match up with these stories; some of these may
have been simplified or written in a different form. This individual work should, therefore, help students
with the matching process as well as providing an opportunity for them to think carefully about the
equations, and look beyond the surface features.

Teacher guide Steps to Solving Equations T-5

 Collaborative activity: Matching cards (10 minutes)
Organize students into groups of two or three.
For each group provide a cut-up copy of the Card Set: Stories and Card Set: Equations.
The six story cards are the same stories as you have just been looking at.
Working together in your group, your job is to match each story with an equation.
Use the work you have done individually to help you.
Check to see whether any of the equations you have written down match the equations on the
cards.
It is likely that students who have identified correct equations may have written them in a different
form to the equations on the card. Encourage them to check whether what they have written is the
same. Some students may have an incorrect equation, but assume it is correct. Encourage students to
check their work carefully.
While students work in small groups you have two tasks: to make a note of students approaches to the
task, and to support student reasoning.
Make a note of student approaches to the task
Listen and watch students carefully. Note any common errors in algebra and computation. Do
students use the distributive law correctly? Do they only multiply part of an expression? Notice the
ways students check to see if their card-match is correct. Do they substitute back into the equations?
Do they know which value x represents?
Notice the quality and depth of students’ explanations. Are students satisfied just to match the cards,
or do they explain choices? Do they challenge each other if they disagree on a matched pair?
Support student reasoning
Prompt students to explain what expressions mean clearly.
What does x represent in this story?
What information do you have? What do you need to find out?
You’ve decided how you’re going to write [how old James is/the score for Paper 1/the cost of a
strawberry chew]. What’s the connection between [his age and his dad’s age/the scores/the costs
of a chew and a lollipop]? How does that help you to write [his dad’s age/the score for paper
2/the cost of a lollipop]?
Encourage students to explain their reasoning carefully, and check that all group members are able to
justify each choice.
Jean, you matched these cards. Terry, do you agree that these cards match? Explain please.
If students finish quickly, ask them to write their own, different stories to match the equation cards.

Sharing work (5 minutes)

As students finish matching the cards, ask them to jot down the matched pairs on their whiteboards
(for example, S1 with E1, S5 with E2, etc.). Then ask one student from each group to visit another
group. This way they can compare their own matches with another group’s.
The student remaining at the desks is to explain their reasoning for the matched cards to the visiting
student.
Students may now want to make changes or additions to their matches, especially if they have visited
a group that has matched up different stories to their own. If this is the case, it is important that

Teacher guide Steps to Solving Equations T-6

 students are able to explain the new match. They should not just assume that another group’s matches
are correct without exploring the reasoning used.

Whole-class discussion (5 minutes)

It is likely that some groups may not have managed to match all six stories with an equation. Spend a
few minutes discussing some of the matches the students have made. Survey the students to see if,
after sharing their work with another group, they have changed their mind. Ask them to explain and
justify their reasoning.
Harry, which equation did you match with S3? How did you decide?
Did anyone match a different equation with this story? Explain your thinking.
Which equation is the correct match?
Did any group change their mind about a match? Which story/equation was it? What did you
think it was originally? What did you change it to? Explain why you did this.
The aim of this discussion is explore the reasoning behind some of the matches and help students to
justify their thinking, not to check that all groups have successfully matched all of the cards.

Collaborative activity: Posters that show steps to solving four equations (20 minutes)
Give each group of students a large piece of poster paper, a marker, and a glue stick.
Put the cards E5 and E6 and the story cards you’ve matched with them to one side.
Divide your large sheet of paper into quarters.
You are now going to work with equation cards E1 – E4.
Stick one at the top of each section, along with the matched-story.
If you haven’t managed to match all four of the equation cards with a story yet, just stick down
the four equation cards.
Students don’t need to stick the last two sets of cards in place as they are not used in the second
matching activity. Nevertheless, if the sheets of paper you have provided are very large, they may
wish to do this.
For each group provide a cut-up copy of Card Set: Steps to Solving.
You are going to explore the steps to solving these four equations.
In between each step write a description of the process involved. For example, you may write
something like ‘divide both sides by 2’ or ‘add 6 to both sides’. Repeat this until you finally reach
a solution.
If you find there is more than one method for solving an equation, stick the two solutions side-by-
side.
Once students have completed this work, they can finish any matching of pairs. Then encourage them
to add explanations to their posters to show how they arrived at an equation for each of their chosen
stories.
As students work, support them as before. Walk around, watch, and listen, and check that students are
writing a description for each step of the solution process.
The finished poster may look something like this:

Teacher guide Steps to Solving Equations T-7

 Whole-class discussion (10 minutes)
Select two or three students from different groups that have completed a solution for Equation Cards
E1 and/or E3. Ask them to explain why there are two methods for solving these equations.
Which of the two methods is the most efficient?
Which method do you prefer? Why?
Is there a different method that could be used to solve these equations?
Students may prefer to clear parentheses, even though this creates an extra step in the solution
process.
What do you need to remember when using the distributive property to clear parentheses? [To
multiply every term by the term outside.]
How else could we clear parentheses? [e.g. 2(x + 3) = (x + 3) +(x + 3) = x + 3 + x + 3.]
The focus of this discussion is to explore the processes involved in a range of different approaches,
not to promote a particular method.

Follow-up lesson: Review individual solutions to the assessment task (15 minutes)
Give students their responses to the original assessment task, Express Yourself, and a copy of the task
Express Yourself (revisited). Some teachers set this task as homework.
If you have not added questions to individual pieces of work then write your list of questions on the
board. Students should select from this list only the questions they think are appropriate to their own
work.
Look at your written script and think about what you have learned since you did this task.
Make some notes on what you have learned during the lesson.
Now have a go at the second sheet, Express Yourself (revisited). Can you use what you have
learned to answer these questions?

Teacher guide Steps to Solving Equations T-8

 SOLUTIONS
Assessment task: Express Yourself
1. The task is to write this sentence using algebra: “I think of a number, add 7 and multiply by 4.
My answer is 80.” 4(x + 7) = 80 and 4x + 28 = 80 are two ways of representing this.
Students choosing the other two equations may have not applied the distributive property to one
of the terms in the left-hand expression.
x = 13 represents the number I was thinking of.
2. Diagram A does not describe the algebraic expression 4x + 4. The area of this rectangle is 4x +
8.
3. Total = x + 2x + 2 + 3x + 6 and Total = x + 2(x + 1) + 3(x + 2) are the expressions that match
the sentence.
Students may simplify the expression, before solving the equation:
6x + 8 = 170
6x = 162
x = 27.
The consecutive numbers are 27, 28 and 29.

Lesson task
In the first card matching activity, these are the correct pairs:
S1 → E5.
S2 → E6.
S3 → E1.
S4 → E2.
S5 → E4.
S6 → E3.
These are the matches that provide the ‘steps to solving’ the Equations on Cards E1 to E4:
E1 6(x – 2) = 54
Method 1: 6(x – 2) = 54 Method 2: 6(x – 2) = 54
Divide both sides by 6 Multiply out the brackets
x–2=9 6x – 12 = 54
Add 2 to both sides Add 12 to both sides
x = 11. 6x = 66
Divide both sides by 6
x = 11.

A strawberry chew costs 11¢ (and a lollipop costs 8¢).

E2 2x + 6 = 54
2x + 6 = 54
Subtract 6 from both sides
2x = 48
Divide both sides by 2
x = 24.
The score for Paper 2 was 24 marks.
Teacher guide Steps to Solving Equations T-9
 E3 2(x + 6) = 54
Method 1: 2(x + 6) = 54 Method 2: 2(x + 6) = 54
Multiply out the brackets Divide both sides by 2
2x + 12 = 54 x + 6 = 27
Subtract 12 from both sides Subtract 6 from both sides
2x = 42 x = 21.
Divide both sides by 2
x = 21.

The number I was thinking of was 21.

E4 6x – 54 = 6
6x – 54 = 6
Add 54 to both sides
6x = 60
Divide both sides by 6
x = 10.
She has been paying for 10 weeks

Assessment task: Express Yourself (revisited)

1. Alicia’s statement can be represented by these equations:
3x + 24 = 66, and 3(x + 8) = 66.
Students choosing the other two equations may have not applied the distributive property to one
of the terms in the left-hand expression.
x represents the number Alicia first thought of.
The method used to solve the equation will depend on which representation the student chooses
to work with. The correct solution is x = 14.

2. Diagram A: the perimeter is 2((2x + 1) + 3) = 2(2x + 4) = 4x + 8.

Diagram B: the perimeter is 2((2x + 2) + 3)=2(2x + 5)=4x + 10.
Diagram C: the area is 2(x + 2) × 2 = 4 (x + 2) = 4x + 8.
Diagram D: the perimeter of the rectangle is 2((x + 3) + (x + 1)) = 2(2x + 4) = 4x + 8.
Thus the diagrams that match the expression are A, C, and D.
3. The expressions for three consecutive numbers are x, x + 1, x + 2.
Total = 3x + 3 x + 3 + 3 x + 6 and Total = 3 x + 3(x + 1) + 3(x + 2) are the expressions that
match the sentence.
Summing the terms gives x + x +1 + x + 2. Students may simplify this before or after
multiplying by three:
3(x + x + 1 + x + 2) = 162 or 3(3x + 3) = 162
3x + 3x + 3 + 3x + 6 = 162 or 9x + 9 = 162
9x + 9 = 162
From this point, the solution methods are the same.
9x = 153; x = 17.
The consecutive numbers are 17, 18, 19.

Teacher guide Steps to Solving Equations T-10

 Express Yourself
1. Which of the equations below will answer the following question? Check () all that apply.
“I think of a number, add 7 and then multiply by 4.
My answer is 80. What was my number?”

!!"!#$!%!$& 4(! + 7) = 80  ! + 7 = 80 !!"!#$!%!$&

Explain your answers.

Find the value of x.

2. Look at the four diagrams below:

Diagram A Diagram B Diagram C Diagram D

2x
 2x+2 2x x+1
Find the Area of Find the Area of Find the Find the
Perimeter of
the rectangle. 2 the rectangle. 2 Perimeter of the 2 the square.
rectangle.

Which diagram does not result in the expression 4x + 4? Explain your answer fully.

Stdent aterial Step to Solving Eation S-1

© 2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
 Express Yourself (continued)
3. The numbers 5, 6 and 7 are an example of consecutive numbers, as one number comes after
another.
Another three consecutive numbers are added together so that the first number, plus two times the
second number, plus three times the third number gives the total.
Which of these expressions could represent the total? Check () all that apply.

Total = x + 2x + 3x Total = x + 2x + 2 + 3x + 6

Total = x + 2(x + 1) + 3(x + 2) Total = x + (2x + 1) + (3x + 2)

Explain your answer.

The total of the three consecutive numbers is 170. What are the numbers? Explain your answer.

          2

© 2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
 Card Set: Stories
S1 S2
60 inches
Tom is 57 years old.

Fold up Tom has a son called

James.
6 inches
In three years time Tom
will be twice as old as
60 inches of plastic are folded to James.
make a picture frame.
How old is James?
The height of the finished frame is 6
inches. How long is the frame?

S3 S4
Strawberry chews cost 3¢ Joseph takes a
more than lollipops. Science exam made
up of two papers.
Sarah pays 54¢ for two
strawberry chews and four lollipops. His score on Paper 1 is 6 points
higher than his score on Paper 2. His
What is the price of a strawberry
total score on both papers is 54.
chew?

What is his score on Paper 2?

S5 S6
Anna owes her parents ?54. “I think of a number,
double it, and add 12. My
She decides to pay this money back
answer is 54.”
at $6 each week.
After some weeks she finds she has What number am I thinking of?
paid back $6 too much.
How long has she been paying the
money back?

 "%&* ,. &/0.14  &54 7 7180*; <=". 07*4 >3

© 2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
 Card Set: Equations
E1 E2

6(x – 2) = 54 2x + 6 = 54
E3 E4

2(x + 6) = 54 6x – 54 = 6
E5 E6

2x + 12 = 60 2(x + 3) = 60

@ABCDFA GHADIJHKL @ADML AN @NKOJFP QRBHAJNFL @T4

© 2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
 Card Set: Steps to Solving

6x = 60 2 = 48
6 = 66 2=9
= 24 + 6 = 27
= 11 = 21
6 12 = 54 2x = 42
x = 10 = 11
2x + 12 = 54 = 21

UVWXYZV [\VY]^\_` UVYb` Vc Uc_f^Zh jkW\V^cZ` Um5

© 2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
 Express Yourself (revisited)
1. Which of the equations below will answer the following question? Check () all that apply.
“I think of a number, add 8 and then multiply by 3.
My answer is 66. What was my number?”

x+ = x+ = x+ = x+ =
Explain your answers.

Find the value of x.

2. Look at the four diagrams below:

Diagram A Diagram B Diagram C Diagram D

2x+1 x
‡ˆ ‰Š‹ x x
Find the Find the Find the Area of Find the
Perimeter of the Perimeter of the Πthe rectangle. 2 Perimeter of the x+1
rectangle. rectangle. rectangle.

Check () every diagram that represents the expression 4x + 8:

Explain your answers.

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© 2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
 Express Yourself (revisited) (continued)
3. Three consecutive numbers are added together and then their sum is multiplied by three.
Some of the equations below represent the total using algebra. Check () all that apply.

Total = 3x + 3x + 1 + 3  + 2 Total = 3x + 3x + 3 + 3x + 6

Total = 3x + 3(x + 1) + 3(x+2) Total = x + x + 3 + x + 6

Explain your answers.

The total of the equation is 162. What are the three consecutive numbers? Explain your answer.

Ž‘’Ž “”Ž‘•–”—˜ Ž‘™˜ Žš š—›–’œ ž”Ž–š’˜ Ÿ7

© 2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
 Writing Algebraic Expressions

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-,"&$.%&'#"'&,-&$.#+& #
"%/$'(01%

Area of rectangle = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

°±¦²£³¢¦± ´£¥¦®±³£¥ ¡¢£¤¥ ¢¦ ¡¦§¨©ª« ¬­®¯¢©¦ª¥ °µ¶

 Writing Algebraic Expressions

B"
!"
!"#$%&'(&
!"#$%&'(%
%)*"%++#,(&-,"&
# )(*"+(&(*%,-%
$.%&p"#im"t"#&,-&
!
&'(%*(.&/#01(2
$.#+&"%/$'(01%

Perimeter of rectangle = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

ÆǼȹɸ¼Ç ʹ»¼ÄÇɹ» ·¸¹º» ¸¼ ·¼½¾¿ÀÁ ÂÃÄŸ¿¼À» ÆËÌ

 Writing Algebraic Expressions

!" B" C""

!!" !"
!"#$%&'(& %&'()"*+","
!"#$%&'(%)*(+%,-%
!"#$%&'(&%)*"%++#,(& !"#$%&'(% (-./012"
%)*"%++#,(&-,"&
&'(%*(.&+#/0(1
-,"&$.%&'#"'&,-&$.#+& # )(*"+(&(*%,-%
$.%&p"#im"t"#&,-&
! 3-45'647"'5"/7"82"
"%/$'(01% &'(%*(.&/#01(2 %&0(",99":2""
$.#+&"%/$'(01%

Which two expressions are equivalent?

Projector Resources Steps to Solving Equations ÍÎÏ

 Which Equations Describe The Story?

A pencil costs $2 less than a Let x represent the cost of

notebook. notebook.

A pen costs 3 times as much A x =

as a pencil. B x =
C x 2=
The pen costs $9
D x 2 =
Which of the four equations
opposite describe this story?

Projector Resources Steps to Solving Equations ÐÑÒ

 Mathematics Assessment Project
CLASSROOM CHALLENGES

This lesson was designed and developed by the

ÓÔell Õenter Team
at the
University of Öottingham
Malcolm Swan, Nichola Clarke, Clare Dawson, Sheila Evans
with
Hugh Burkhardt, Rita Crust, Andy Noyes, and Daniel Pead

It was refined on the basis of reports from teams of observers led by

David Foster, Mary Bouck, and Diane Schaefer
based on their observation of trials in UÓ classrooms
along with comments from teachers and other users.

This project was conceived and directed for

×ØÙÓ: ×Úthematics Assessment Ùesource Óervice
by
Alan Schoenfeld, Hugh Burkhardt, Daniel Pead, and Malcolm Swan
and based at the University of Õalifornia, Berkeley

We are grateful to the many teachers, in the UK and the US, who trialed earlier versions
of these materials in their classrooms, to their students, and to
Judith Mills, Carol Hill, and Alvaro Villanueva who contributed to the design.

This development would not have been possible without the support of
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
We are particularly grateful to
Carina Wong, Melissa Chabran, and Jamie McKee

© 2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

This material may be reproduced and distributed, without modification, for non-commercial purposes,
under the Creative Commons License detailed at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
All other rights reserved.
Please contact [email protected] if this license does not meet your needs.