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Grade 6
Expressions and equations
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1. One-step equations
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
A balance has x and 4 weights on one side and 11 weights on the other. What is x?
7
15
Key idea
Undo the operation on both sides.
An equation stays true if you do the same to both sides. Undo adding by subtracting, subtracting by adding, multiplying by dividing, dividing by multiplying.
Worked example
5x=35 and x−8=12.
x=7
Divide by 5.
x=20
Add 8.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: x+9=23.
14
23 − 9.
Practice ★
Solve x+10=37. x=?
Solve x+23=35. x=?
Solve 11x=77. x=?
Watch out!
Practice ★★
Solve 3x=7. x=?
Solve 3x=6. x=?
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
Solve x+10=37. x=?
Solve x+23=35. x=?
Solve x+27=59. x=?
Summary card
One-step equations
Do the opposite operation to both sides.
Watch out: undo × with ÷ and ÷ with ×.
2. Solve linear inequalities in one variable
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
−2x>6. Try x=−4: −2⋅(−4)=8>6. So which describes all solutions?
x<−3
x>−3
Key idea
Solve inequalities like equations, with one extra rule.
Adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing by a positive number keeps the inequality. Multiplying or dividing by a negative number flips it. Strict signs (<, >) exclude the endpoint; ≤, ≥ include it.
Worked example
Solve −3x+4≤13.
−3x≤9
Subtract 4.
x≥−3
Divide by −3: flip.
[−3,∞)
Endpoint included.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: 2x−1<9. The boundary value of x.
x<5
2x < 10.
Practice ★
Solve 8x+5<45. Give the solution set as an interval.
Solve 6x+5<59. Give the solution set as an interval.
You have 109 dollars and tickets cost 9 dollars each. Solve 9t≤109: what is the greatest number of tickets you can buy?
Watch out!
Practice ★★
Solve −2x+17≤9. Give the solution set as an interval.
Solve −2x+1≤19. Give the solution set as an interval.
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
Solve 8x+5<45. Give the solution set as an interval.
Solve 6x+5<59. Give the solution set as an interval.
Solve 7x+9<−54. Give the solution set as an interval.
Summary card
Inequalities
Solve as an equation; flip when multiplying or dividing by a negative.
Watch out: check with a number from your answer.
3. Equivalent expressions: distributing and combining like terms
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
Is 10−(3+2) the same as 10−3+2?
No
Yes
Key idea
Equivalent expressions are equal for every value of the variable.
Distribute:a(b+c)=ab+ac, also with minus signs: −(b−c)=−b+c. Combine like terms by adding their coefficients, keeping each term's sign: 5x−2x=3x. Think of subtraction as adding the opposite.
Worked example
Simplify 6x−2(x−4)+1.
6x−2x+8+1
−2 times each term.
4x+9
Combine.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: the coefficient of x in 7x+3−2x.
5
7 − 2.
Practice ★
Write 7(x−3) without parentheses. What is the constant term?
Write 3(x−7) without parentheses. What is the constant term?
Combine like terms in 9x+6−11x+4. What is the coefficient of x?
Watch out!
Practice ★★
Simplify 6x−(5x−2). What is the constant term?
Simplify 7x−(9x−9). What is the constant term?
Boss problem. A rectangle has sides x+6 and 3x−5. Its perimeter is 2(x+6)+2(3x−5).
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
Write 7(x−3) without parentheses. What is the constant term?
Write 3(x−7) without parentheses. What is the constant term?
Write 3(x−2) without parentheses. What is the constant term?
Summary card
Equivalent expressions
Distribute to every term; combine like terms with their signs.
Watch out: a minus before parentheses changes every sign inside.
4. Expressions with exponents; order of operations
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
What is 34?
81
12
Key idea
Exponents mean repeated multiplication; they come first.
bn means n factors of b: b⋅b⋯b. Order of operations: parentheses, then exponents, then multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction. In 3x2 only x is squared.
Worked example
Evaluate 2+3⋅42.
42=16
Exponent first.
3⋅16=48
Multiply.
50
Add.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: 5x2 when x=3.
45
5 · 9.
Practice ★
What is the value of 64?
What is the value of 62?
Evaluate 1+2⋅32.
Watch out!
Practice ★★
Evaluate 4x2 when x=8.
Evaluate 4x2 when x=4.
Boss problem. A square garden has side 10 m. A path 1 m wide goes all around it, making a bigger square.
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
Evaluate 1+2⋅32.
Evaluate 5+5⋅22.
Evaluate 1+3⋅22.
Summary card
Expressions with exponents
Parentheses, exponents, × ÷, + −.
Watch out: in kx² only x is squared.
5. Proportional relationships: y = kx
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
3 pounds of apples cost 6 dollars. At the same price, what do 5 pounds cost?
10 dollars
8 dollars
Key idea
Proportional means y=kx.
In a proportional relationshipy=kx, where k=xy is the constant of proportionality (the unit rate). Its graph is a line through the origin, and k is the slope.
Worked example
A printer prints 45 pages in 3 minutes.
k=15 pages per minute
45 ÷ 3.
y=15x
Equation.
120 pages in 8 minutes
x = 8.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: y is proportional to x, and y=28 when x=4. Find k.
7
28 ÷ 4.
Practice ★
y is proportional to x. When x=2, y=10. Find the constant of proportionality k in y=kx.
y is proportional to x. When x=3, y=15. Find the constant of proportionality k in y=kx.
Which equation represents a proportional relationship?
y=2x
y=2x+9
y=x+2
Watch out!
Practice ★★
A train travels 21 miles in 3 minutes at a constant speed. How far does it travel in 12 minutes?
A train travels 30 miles in 6 minutes at a constant speed. How far does it travel in 10 minutes?
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
y is proportional to x. When x=2, y=10. Find the constant of proportionality k in y=kx.
y is proportional to x. When x=3, y=15. Find the constant of proportionality k in y=kx.
y is proportional to x. When x=4, y=28. Find the constant of proportionality k in y=kx.
Summary card
Proportional relationships
y=kx, k=y÷x; the graph passes through (0,0).
Watch out: scale by multiplying, not by adding.
Answers: Expressions and equations
1. One-step equations
A
27
12
B
7
C
21
18
D
27
12
32
2. Solve linear inequalities in one variable
A
(−∞,5)
(−∞,9)
B
12
C
[4,∞)
[−9,∞)
D
(−∞,5)
(−∞,9)
(−∞,−9)
3. Equivalent expressions: distributing and combining like terms
A
−21
−21
B
−2
C
2
9
D
3
E
−21
−21
−6
4. Expressions with exponents; order of operations