“One Incorrect” Distributive Property Activity

I used this “One Incorrect” Distributive Property Activity from Greta Bergman to give my students extra practice with the distributive property and combining like terms.

In this activity, students were given eight different algebraic expressions that needed to be simplified through applying the distributive property and combining like terms.

Seven of the eight expressions simplify to the expression in the middle of the oval. One of the eight expressions is the odd one out.

Students must determine which expression doesn’t simplify to 3x^2 +2x + 1.

Whenever I do these “One Incorrect” activities, I have my students glue the half-sheet of paper in their interactive notebooks.

I make my students simplify expressions until they find the expression that they believe does not simplify to the expression in the center. When a student believes that they have found the odd expression, they must bring their work up to my desk to be checked.

Usually, I discover a mistake in the student’s working and send them back to continue evaluating expressions. Students often end up getting in much more practice than they anticipate.

They always assume they will be lucky and pick the odd expression on their first try.

Greta Bergman has also created more “One Incorrect” activities featuring the order of operations.