We will begin the week by reviewing how to solve simple one-step equations. This was a concept taught to them in 6th grade. We will then distinguish equations of the form px+q=r and p(x+q)=r . Corresponding tape diagrams are used as tools in this work, along with situations that these equations can represent. First, students sort equations into categories of their choosing. The main categories to highlight distinguish between the two main types of equations being studied. Then, students consider two stories and corresponding diagrams and write equations to represent them. They use these representations to find an unknown value in the story.
They need to understand that we can generally approach equations of the form px+q=r by subtracting q from each side and dividing each side by p (or multiplying by 1/p ). Students only work with examples where p , q , and r are specific numbers, not represented by letters. This is accomplished by considering what can be done to a hanger to keep it balanced. Students are solving equations in this lesson in a different way than they did in the previous lessons. They are reasoning about things one could “do” to hangers while keeping them balanced alongside an equation that represents a hanger, so they are thinking about “doing” things to each side of an equation, rather than simply thinking “what value would make this equation true” or reasoning with situations or diagrams. |
AuthorI have been teaching 7th grade Mathematics for 10 years. I have worked at two IB MYP schools, one in Houston, Texas, and at West End Middle for 8 years. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions, comments or concerns. Archives
August 2018
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