Students will learn how to solve two-step equations, first by concrete and pictorial methods, then by the abstract method. Students will solve both word problems and mathematical ones. One type of problem is to have students determine the input of a linear function given its output. For example, what is \(x\) if \(f(x) = 2x - 5\) and \(f(x) = 3?\) Here's a video.
Next, give your students these challenges:
- 2018 Math Kangaroo Levels 7-8 Problem #30 by STEM4all
2020 Math Kangaroo Levels 9-10 Problem #27: In each of the squares, a number is written so that the sums of the 4 numbers in each row and in each column are the same. What number goes into the shaded square?
Here's the solution.
Conclude by leading this investigation:
Picasso’s Cuboids (volume puzzle)
by MathPickle