Tues 11th OCT – The Language of Algebra

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To understand how to use letters, numbers and mathematical symbols to write algebraic expressions and formulae

SUCCESS CRITERIA: You will be able to write down expressions using letters and numbers

STARTER: Answer these questions WITHOUT using your calculator – REMEMBER BODMAS

1. (5 – 1) x 2
   
2. 5 - (1 x 2)
   
3. Work out (7 – 5) x ( 5 + 4 -2)
   
4. Put brackets in the calculation to make the answer 40
   

   2 + 3 + 5 X 4
   

5. Put brackets in the calculation to make the answer 34
   

   2 + 3 + 5 X 4
   

   
    

LESSON: Here are seven important rules of algebra we need to learn

 

1. We write '4 more than x' as x + 4 or 4 + x
   
2. We write '6 less than p' or ' p minus 6' as 6 – p
   
3. We write '4 times y' or 'y times 4' as 4 x y or y x 4 or better still 4y. This last way is the best and neatest way to write this
   
4. We write 'b divided by 2' as b ÷ 2, or b / 2
   
5. When a number and a letter or a letter and a letter appear together ther is a hidden multiplication sign between them, so 7y means 7 x y and ab means a x b
   
6. We always write '1 x y' as y
   
7. We write 't times t as t x t or t²
   

   
    

Using these 7 rules can you answer the questions in Ex 23A on page 269,

Encourage students to complete as many questions as possible from Ex 23A to practice using 'The Language of Algebra'

 

PLENARY: Checking answers, Use some of Level E questions as a mini 'Test' of understand (from 10 onwards!)