Algebra - Week 2 Lesson 1: Intro to Algebra
Objectives: The students will begin to learn Algebra. For this lesson they will focus on using letters as numbers. Identify the unknowns in an equations.
*You can use algebra to write an expression that describes how one amount compares with another amount
This video can be used to explain why we use letters in Algebra https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra-home/alg-intro-to-algebra/alg-overview-of-algebra/v/why-all-the-letters-in-algebra
The main focus on this lesson is to get the class used to using letters to represent variables and to write word problems as expressions.
Ask for different ways that we can write a variable. Explain to students that e shouldn’t be used and do not use x to show multiplication.
2 ¤ x This expression can be simplified to 2x
Now teach the students to find the missing number:
____ - 2 = 4
The answer is 6, because 6 − 2 = 4.
Well, in Algebra we don't use blank boxes, we use a letter (usually an x or y, but any letter is fine). So we write:
x - 2 = 4
It is really that simple. The letter (in this case an x) just means "we don't know this yet", and is often called the unknown or the variable.
And when we solve it we write:
x = 6
Example Algebra Word Problems: https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-6/write-variable-expressions-word-problems
Example Problems writing an expression: http://www.math-aids.com/cgi/pdf_viewer_2.cgi?script_name=pre-algebra_translate.pl&easy=1&language=0&memo=&answer=1&x=111&y=43
Examples in textbook:
Harder Examples: http://www.math-aids.com/cgi/pdf_viewer_12.cgi?script_name=pre-algebra_translate.pl&medium=1&language=0&memo=&answer=1&x=104&y=35