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    • ▾8th grade
      • ▸Numbers and operations
        • •Irrational numbers
        • •Evaluating square roots of small perfect squares
        • •Approximating square roots
        • •Evaluating cube roots of small perfect cubes
        • •Negative bases
        • •Negative exponents
        • •Approximating with powers of 10
        • •Proving properties of even, odd, and square numbers
        • •Divisibility with sums and differences
        • •Proving the divisibility rules for 7 and 13
        • •1089 trick
      • ▸Properties of exponents
        • •Power of a power rule for exponents
        • •Power of a product rule for exponents
        • •Power of a quotient rule for exponents
        • •Product of powers rule for exponents
        • •Quotient of powers rule for exponents
        • •Multi-step problems, properties of exponents
        • •Simplifying square roots of decimals and fractions
      • ▸Scientific notation
        • •Intro to scientific notation
        • •Converting between scientific notation and standard form
        • •Comparing numbers in scientific notation
        • •Adding and subtracting in scientific notation
        • •Multiplying and dividing in scientific notation
        • •Scientific notation, multi-step word problems
      • ▸Linear functions and equations
        • •Mentally solving certain multi-step equations
        • •Number of solutions to linear equations
        • •Finding the equation of a line
        • •Graphing proportional relationships
        • •Analyzing graphs of step functions
        • •Intro to functions
        • •Slope-intercept form
        • •Slope-intercept form from word problems
        • •Understanding slope with similar triangles
        • •Solving multi-step equations
      • ▾Linear systems of equations in two variables
        • •Testing solutions to linear systems of equations in two variables
        • •Solving linear systems of equations in two variables by graphing
        • •Solving linear systems of equations in two variables by substitution
        • •Solving linear systems of equations in two variables by elimination
        • •Number of solutions to a system of equations algebraically
        • •Solving linear systems of equations in two variables by any method
        • •Age problems
      • ▸Geometry
        • •Deriving the surface area and volume formulas for spheres
        • •Changing linear dimensions
        • •Congruent figures
        • •Corresponding angle theorems
        • •Converse of the corresponding angle theorems
        • •Proving lines are parallel
        • •Pythagorean theorem
        • •Missing square puzzle
        • •Finding the diagonal length of a rectangle
        • •Pythagorean triples
        • •Proving the inverse Pythagorean theorem
        • •Pythagorean inequality theorem
        • •Distance formula
        • •Volume
        • •Midpoint formula
        • •Symmetry
      • ▸Geometric transformations
        • •Dilating lines
        • •Dilating polygons
        • •Scaling along an axis
        • •Reflecting across axes
        • •Rigid transformations
      • ▸Data and modeling
        • •Estimating the line of best fit
        • •Making and describing scatter plots
     › 8th grade › Linear systems of equations in two variables

    Solving linear systems of equations in two variables by elimination

    Students will learn to solve linear systems in two variables, using the method of elimination. They'll solve word problems and mathematical ones. Here's an example word problem. Next, give your students this challenge:

    How to solve the "working together" riddle that stumps most US college students by MindYourDecisions
    This is a work problem, but it requires students to multiply whole equations and add equations together. I believe that adding equations is first encountered when learning to solve systems by elimination.

    Next, give your students this challenge, then this one, and finally, this one. Personally, I find Diophantine equations interesting. Here's a set of puzzles that involve Diophantine equations. Here's a solution to the original problem. And here's a related puzzle. Unfortunately, a hint is given, but no solution has been provided.

    Conclude by leading this investigation:

    Venn Puzzler
    by MathPickle

    Lessons and practice problems