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Mrs. S

What is Algebra???
Typically letters and other symbols that are used to
represent numbers and quantities in a formula or
equations.

X + 6 = 15
The x is used to represent a number. Any guesses
to what x is???

Yes the correct answer is 9

because if you subtract both
sides by six you get
x=9

A variable or unknown number can be

represented by any letter in the
alphabet not just x
Visit this link for more details on
variables
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
NybHckSEQBI

Here are a few pointers

to writing out equations
Addition or
Subtraction

Multiplication or
Division

Can be written as

Plus or minus

More than or less than

Increased by or decreased
by

Can be written as

Multiplied by or divided

Of or Out Of

Times or quarter

Which equation best fits

this example?
Twenty
Twenty times
times a
a number
number is
is
sixty
sixty
60-20=b
60-20=b
b+20=60
b+20=60

20xb=60
20xb=60
60/b=20
60/b=20

The correct
answer was

20 x b =
60
Because the word
Times refers to
multiplication

If the written equation

would have said twenty
plus a number the correct
answer could have been

b + 20 = 60
Can anyone solve for b
in the multiplication and
addition equations???

The Correct Answers

ADDITION

b = 40

MULTIPLICATION

b=3

Important!!!
The answers to the multiplication and addition
equations were very different
That is why it is extremely important that you
pay attention the key words used in the
written equations in order to correctly write
out the problem before solving.