Turn solving literal equations from a dreaded task to a fun activity with these 10 free activities involving rearranging literal equations for a given variable.
Equations
I created this dry erase template for my Algebra 2 students to use while learning to solve equations graphically using our graphing calculators. The idea is that students will write the equation at the top of the page. Then, they will put each side of the equation into their graphing calculator. I provided students with …
I created these leveled practice cards for solving absolute value equations when I taught Algebra 1. There are three levels of problems so that students can start with problems of an appropriate difficulty level. Level 1 Questions – Absolute value bars are already isolated. Level 2 Questions – Students have one step to do in …
Today I want to highlight a collection of Balancing Act Puzzles from Heather Sparks. Heather is a bit of a legend in the world of Oklahoma math teaching. She was the 2009 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. If you teach middle school math, her website is worth a browse. I am positive you will find …
I’m here today to share some Roots Solutions Zeros X-Intercepts Posters. Yes, that is a mouthful. Yesterday, I started doing some serious planning for teaching Algebra 2 in less than a month! I’m at a new school that has adopted new textbooks, and I’m not exactly the biggest fan of the chosen Algebra 2 book. …
I created these solving absolute value equations graphic organizers for my Algebra 1 students to glue in their interactive notebooks. First, we started out by gluing in a set of steps for solving absolute value equations. These steps were the perfect reference guide for students as they worked through the leveled practice cards I created …
I am super pleased with how these literal equations graphic organizers I created for my Algebra 1 students turned out! Our last skill for the unit is solving equations for a specific variable. This is also known as solving literal equations or changing the subject of the equation. I let my students choose between two …
I created these graphic organizers to give my Algebra 1 students some structured practice solving equations/inequalities with variables on both sides of the equal sign. We started out by gluing in a set of steps to our interactive notebooks. I created six practice problems for my students to work through together. This year I am …
We did six practice problems in our notebook over solving equations/inequalities with variables on one side. Students stapled these problems together and glued them on a single page. Some students even chose to staple their paper with the steps on top of the practice problems to condense things even further. I kinda like this approach! …
I highly recommend this Literal Equations Connect 4 Activity from Math by the Mountain. It is a free download on Teachers Pay Teachers, and my students absolutely loved it. When I told my Algebra 1 students that the activity was over, they begged “Can we please do just one more?” That’s the sign of a …
Recently, I wrote a blog post sharing a set of speed dating cards I created to review absolute value, opposite, reciprocal, and opposite reciprocal using printable business cards. I used the blank template I created to create a new set of speed dating cards for a different topic: graphing solutions on a number line. I’ve …
Since my non-standard operations sorting card activity was such a hit with my Algebra 1 students, I decided to use the same practice structure to make an activity for my students to get extra practice with solving equations with variables on both sides. I created a deck of 12 cards. Each card contained an equation …
Two summers ago, I created some open middle style problems that have been a hit in my classroom. Both problems use a reusable set of tiles that have the numbers from -4 to +4 printed on them. These tiles are laminated which has helped them hold up to use over multiple years. The first problem …
I created this writing absolute value equations and inequalities foldable for my Algebra 1 students to complete and glue in their interactive notebooks. We completed this foldable after exploring absolute value relations and creating an absolute value foldable. Students were given graphs of various absolute value equations and inequalities, and they had to determine the …
Good morning! Today, I’m happy to share a guest post with you from Beaura Cavalier. She is a high school math teacher in Arkansas, and I am so excited to share with you what she has to say about teaching students to solve absolute value equations with a little creativity. I’ll let her take it …
I created this solving equations using inverse operations foldable for my Algebra 1 students. This year, I decided to try something a bit different in Algebra 1. I showed my students two different methods to solve an equation, and I required them to choose one of those methods to use. I guess I’m getting …
I made this new solving absolute value equations foldable for my Algebra 1 students to glue in their interactive notebooks. This is actually my first year ever teaching students to solve absolute value equations. They weren’t included in Oklahoma’s old standards for Algebra 1 or Algebra 2, so I didn’t cover them. I felt …
I created this Expression Equation Inequality Foldable to give my Algebra 1 students practice translating and sorting between expressions, equations, and inequalities. We glued the resulting foldable in our Algebra 1 interactive notebooks. I’m structuring my course a bit differently this year. This year, my goal is to give my students more meaningful problems to …
I created this solving equations with variables on both sides of the equal sign foldable for my Algebra 1 students to glue in our interactive notebooks. For this topic, I made a booklet foldable with two word problem practice problems inside. The outside of the foldable featured step by step directions. Here are the two …
I created this set of solving equations with variables on one side of the equal sign notes for my Algebra 1 students to glue in their interactive notebooks. I tried to connect making ones and making zeros to actions I could do to their bank account. I can afford to add 0 dollars to each …
I’m determined to incorporate more word problems into my Algebra 1 course throughout the year instead of saving them until we review for the EOI exam at the end of the year. I decided the best way to do this was gasp turn it into a skill that students need to demonstrate mastery of. I …
I often use the 3 Essential Rules of Math to review solving equations with my algebra students. I learned about these three essential rules from Glenn Waddell. When I first started, I would have students write out the three rules. Then, we would make note of when we used each rule while working through some …
I used Sarah Rubin’s idea of using scales to model solving equations with variables on both sides. It turned out to be a brilliant introduction to the concepts of one solution, no solution, and infinite solutions. I did exactly as she said to. I passed out these 6 balanced scale problems to my students. It …
I created this foldable to walk my students through the DO UNDO Method for solving equations. My Algebra 1 students glued this foldable in our interactive notebooks. Free Download of DO UNDO Method for Solving Equations Foldable
I created this inverse operations graphic organizer for my Algebra 1 students to glue in their interactive notebooks at the beginning of our unit on solving equations. The notes at the bottom were my attempt at helping my students who were having trouble determining if a number was being added, subtracted, or multiplied in an …