Grade 7 Unit 6

7
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IM 6–8 Math was originally developed by Open Up Resources and authored by Illustrative Mathematics, and is
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Adaptations and updates to IM 6–8 Math are copyright 2019 by Illustrative Mathematics,
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Adaptations to add additional English language learner supports are copyright 2019 by Open Up Resources,
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ISBN 978-1-64885-149-0

MS3.1415
Unit Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Representing Situations of the Form and

Lesson 1: Relationships between Quantities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Lesson 2: Reasoning about Contexts with Tape Diagrams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Lesson 3: Reasoning about Equations with Tape Diagrams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Lesson 4: Reasoning about Equations and Tape Diagrams (Part 1) . . . . . . . . . 69

Lesson 5: Reasoning about Equations and Tape Diagrams (Part 2) . . . . . . . . . 83

Lesson 6: Distinguishing between Two Types of Situations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Solving Equations of the Form and and Problems That Lead

to Those Equations

Lesson 7: Reasoning about Solving Equations (Part 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Lesson 8: Reasoning about Solving Equations (Part 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Lesson 9: Dealing with Negative Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Lesson 10: Different Options for Solving One Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Lesson 11: Using Equations to Solve Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Lesson 12: Solving Problems about Percent Increase or Decrease . . . . . . . . 167

Inequalities

Lesson 13: Reintroducing Inequalities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Lesson 14: Finding Solutions to Inequalities in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Lesson 15: Efficiently Solving Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

Lesson 16: Interpreting Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

Lesson 17: Modeling with Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Writing Equivalent Expressions

Lesson 18: Subtraction in Equivalent Expressions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241

Lesson 19: Expanding and Factoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254

Lesson 20: Combining Like Terms (Part 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265

Lesson 21: Combining Like Terms (Part 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278

Lesson 22: Combining Like Terms (Part 3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

Let's Put it to Work

Lesson 23: Applications of Expressions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310

Attributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320

Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
 Unit Narrative
Unit Narrative
In this unit, students solve equations of the forms and , and solve related
inequalities, e.g., those of the form and , where , , and are rational
numbers.

In the first section of the unit, students represent relationships of two quantities with tape diagrams
and with equations, and explain correspondences between the two types of representations (MP1).
They begin by examining correspondences between descriptions of situations and tape diagrams,
then draw tape diagrams to represent situations in which the variable representing the unknown is
specified. Next, they examine correspondences between equations and tape diagrams, then draw
tape diagrams to represent equations, noticing that one tape diagram can be described by different
(but related) equations. At the end of the section, they draw tape diagrams to represent situations
in which the variable representing the unknown is not specified, then match the diagrams with
equations. The section concludes with an example of the two main types of situations examined,
characterized in terms of whether or not they involve equal parts of an amount or equal and
unequal parts of an amount, and as represented by equations of different forms, e.g.,
and . This initiates a focus on seeing two types of structure in the situations, diagrams,
and equations of the unit (MP7).

In the second section of the unit, students solve equations of the forms and
, then solve problems that can be represented by such equations (MP2). They begin by
considering balanced and unbalanced “hanger diagrams,” matching hanger diagrams with
equations, and using the diagrams to understand two algebraic steps in solving equations of the
form : subtract the same number from both sides, then divide both sides by the same
number. Like a tape diagram, the same balanced hanger diagram can be described by different (but
related) equations, e.g., and . The second form suggests using the same
two algebraic steps to solve the equation, but in reverse order: divide both sides by the same
number, then subtract the same number from both sides. Each of these algebraic steps and the
associated structure of the equation is illustrated by hanger diagrams (MP1, MP7).

So far, the situations in the section have been described by equations in which is a whole number,
and and are positive (and frequently whole numbers). In the remainder of the section, students
use the algebraic methods that they have learned to solve equations of the forms and
in which , , and are rational numbers. They use the distributive property to
transform an equation of one form into the other (MP7) and note how such transformations can be
used strategically in solving an equation (MP5). They write equations in order to solve problems
involving percent increase and decrease (MP2).

In the third section of the unit, students work with inequalities. They begin by examining values that
make an inequality true or false, and using the number line to represent values that make an

Unit 6 Unit Narrative 3

 inequality true. They solve equations, examine values to the left and right of a solution, and use
those values in considering the solution of a related inequality. In the last two lessons of the
section, students solve inequalities that represent real-world situations (MP2).

In the last section of the unit, students work with equivalent linear expressions, using properties of
operations to explain equivalence (MP3). They represent expressions with area diagrams, and use
the distributive property to justify factoring or expanding an expression.

Progression of Disciplinary Language

In this unit, teachers can anticipate students using language for mathematical purposes such as
comparing, explaining, and justifying. Throughout the unit, students will benefit from routines
designed to grow robust disciplinary language, both for their own sense-making and for building
shared understanding with peers. Teachers can formatively assess how students are using
language in these ways, particularly when students are using language to:

Compare

• stories with corresponding tape diagrams (Lesson 2)

• tape diagrams with corresponding equations (Lesson 3)
• hanger diagrams and equations (Lesson 7)
• solution pathways (especially Lesson 10)
• descriptions of situations with corresponding inequalities (Lesson 16)
Explain

• strategies for using hanger diagrams to solve equations (Lesson 8)

• different strategies for solving equations (Lesson 9) and inequalities (Lesson 14)
• reasoning about situations, tape diagrams, and equations (Lesson 12)
• strategies for identifying and writing equivalent expressions (Lesson 22)
Justify

• reasoning about inequalities (Lesson 13)

• reasoning about solutions to inequalities (Lesson 15)
• the need for specific information in order to write and solve inequalities (Lesson 17)
• reasoning about the distributive property (Lesson 19)
• whether different sequences of calculations give the same result (Lesson 23)
In addition, students are expected to interpret solutions to equations, interpret and represent
non-proportional situations with constant rates of change, represent non-proportional situations
using tape diagrams, describe the structure of equations and tape diagrams, critique reasoning of
peers about expressions and corresponding area diagrams, critique reasoning about solving
equations, critique reasoning about equivalent expressions, and generalize about solving equations
and about when expressions are equivalent.

4 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 The table shows lessons where new terminology is first introduced, including when students are
expected to understand the word or phrase receptively and when students are expected to
produce the word or phrase in their own speaking or writing. Terms from the glossary appear
bolded. Teachers should continue to support students’ use of a new term in the lessons that follow
were it was first introduced.

Unit 6 Unit Narrative 5

 new terminology
lesson
receptive productive

7.6.2 unknown amount

equivalent expressions
7.6.3
commutative (property)

unknown amount
7.6.4
relationship

7.6.6 variable

balanced hanger
7.6.7
each side (of an equation)

equivalent expression
7.6.8
each side (of an equation)

operation
7.6.9
solve

distribute
7.6.10
substitute

inequality
less than or equal to less than
7.6.13
greater than or equal to greater than
open / closed circle

solution to an inequality less than or equal to

7.6.14 boundary greater than or equal to
direction (of an inequality) substitute

7.6.15 open / closed circle

7.6.16 solution to an inequality

7.6.17 inequality

7.6.18 term

factor (an expression)

7.6.19
expand (an expression)

6 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 new terminology
lesson
receptive productive

term
7.6.20 combine like terms
commutative (property)

7.6.21 distribute

factor (an expression)

7.6.22 associative property
expand (an expression)

Required Materials
Index cards Tools for creating a visual display
Pre-printed slips, cut from copies of the Any way for students to create work that can be
blackline master easily displayed to the class. Examples: chart
Sticky notes paper and markers, whiteboard space and
markers, shared online drawing tool, access to a
document camera.

Unit 6 Unit Narrative 7

 Assessments
Assessment : Check Your Readiness
Teacher Instructions
Calculators should not be used.

Student Instructions
Do not use a calculator.

Problem 1
The content assessed in this problem is first encountered in Lesson 4: Reasoning about Equations
and Tape Diagrams (Part 1).

Students will solve more advanced equations in this unit, building from the equation types they
have worked with in sixth grade.

If most students struggle with this item, plan to revisit it before Activity 2. Ask students to draw a
tape diagram to represent the situation, and then try matching equations again. You may also
choose to revisit the stories in Lesson 2 and ask students to write equations to match the tape
diagrams and stories, understanding that the story connects to both an addition and subtraction
equation.

Statement
Jada is collecting stickers. After getting 15 more stickers, she has 60 stickers in total.

Select all the equations Jada can solve to find , the number of stickers she started with.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

G.

8 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution
["A", "D"]
Aligned Standards
6.EE.B.7
Problem 2
The content assessed in this problem is first encountered in Lesson 9: Dealing with Negative
Numbers.

Students should have experience solving these types of equations for non-negative rational
numbers. The last two extend students’ understanding to equations involving negative numbers.

If most students struggle with this item, plan to incorporate practice solving equations with one
operation into earlier lessons. You may choose to use the equations from the item for practice.
Algebra Talks can be used to give students practice reasoning about equations of the form x+p=q
and px=q.

Statement
Solve each equation.

Solution
1.

2.

3. (or equivalent)

4.

5.

6.

7. (or equivalent)

Aligned Standards
6.EE.B.7, 7.EE.B.4

Unit 6: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities 9

 Problem 3
The content assessed in this problem is first encountered in Lesson 13: Reintroducing Inequalities.

The first two parts ask students to test individual values, encouraging the strategy of testing when
an inequality is true or false. That key concept will be developed further in this unit to help students
solve and graph more complicated inequalities.

Check to see if students recall the “open circle” concept for graphing inequalities. It is unlikely that
students will graph the solution as a set of points, but technically the number of boxes must be an
integer.

If most students do well with this item, it may be possible to move more quickly through Activity 1
and Activity 2.

Statement
Lin is selling boxes of cookies. Each box costs $3.75. Lin’s goal is to earn more than $30 selling
cookies.

1. If Lin sells 6 boxes of cookies, will she make her goal?

2. If Lin sells 20 boxes of cookies, will she make her goal?

3. If Lin sells boxes of cookies, write an inequality (using the symbol or ) that will be
true whenever Lin makes her goal, and false whenever she does not.

4. Graph your inequality on a number line.

Solution
1. No, she only earns $22.50.

2. Yes, she earns $75.

3. , because

4. The solution is the graph of . Alternately, the solution is a set of dots at the whole
numbers from and above because the number of boxes must be a whole number.

Aligned Standards
6.EE.B.5, 6.EE.B.8
Problem 4
The content assessed in this problem is first encountered in Lesson 9: Dealing with Negative

10 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Numbers.

The work with negative number arithmetic previews work that will come up when solving equations
in this unit. Students’ general understanding that a number is a solution to an equation when using
that value for the variable makes the equation true is crucial. Watch for errors in students’
arithmetic work. Students selecting B or F may need to be reminded about the properties of
multiplication by negatives throughout the unit.

If most students struggle with this item, plan to use an Algebra Talk or "True or False" routine to
address students’ needs before this lesson. Note whether the struggle is a result of arithmetic
needs or understanding how to determine if a value for the variable makes the equation true.

Statement
Select all the equations that are true when is -4.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

Solution
["A", "C", "D"]
Aligned Standards
6.EE.B.5, 7.NS.A.1, 7.NS.A.2
Problem 5
The content assessed in this problem is first encountered in Lesson 3: Reasoning about Equations
with Tape Diagrams.

If most students struggle with this item, plan to spend additional time on the warm-up of Lesson 3.
Use area models and tape diagrams to help students recall what they learned about the distributive
property in 6th grade. If students need additional practice with the distributive property, Unit 6 of
the 6th grade material, in particular lessons 9-11, focuses extensively on the distributive property.

Statement
Which expression is equivalent to ?

Unit 6: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities 11

 A.

B.

C.

D.

Solution
D
Aligned Standards
6.EE.A.3
Problem 6
The content assessed in this problem is first encountered in Lesson 2: Reasoning about Contexts
with Tape Diagrams.

In this unit, students use tape diagrams to represent the structures and
. They will match tape diagrams to situations and use the diagrams as tools to decide
how a situation should be represented algebraically. Note that not all the equations listed are true,
which is fine.

If most students struggle with this item, plan to revisit it as part of the warm-up. You might show
the students the most popular answers from the item and ask if they agree or disagree with their
classmates’ choices. Students have several chances to work with tape diagrams in the first section
of the unit.

Statement
Next to each equation, write A, B, or neither, to indicate whether it matches diagram A,
diagram B, or neither diagram.

A 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.
B
6.

7.

8.

12 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution
1. A

2. Neither

3. A

4. Neither

5. B

6. B

7. B

8. Neither

Aligned Standards
2.OA.A, 3.OA.A

Unit 6: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities 13

 Assessment : Mid-Unit Assessment
Teacher Instructions
Use of a four-function or scientific calculator is encouraged but not required. Do not allow use of
more advanced calculators that may include functions to solve equations directly.

This assessment is designed to be administered after lesson 12.

Student Instructions
You may use a four-function or scientific calculator, but not a graphing calculator.
Problem 1
Many students will solve this problem by writing the equation , though reasoning purely
about the weights on the hanger is also fine. Students selecting A likely made a division mistake in
the last step of their algebra. Students selecting B probably divided by 4 instead of subtracting.
Students selecting D may have stopped their equation solving at , or they may have looked at
the hanger and imagined isolating all the weights labeled , without dividing by 3.

Statement
This hanger is in balance. There are two labeled weights of 4 grams and 12 grams. The three
circles each have the same weight. What is the weight of each circle, in grams?

A.

B. 1

C.

D. 8

Solution
C
Aligned Standards
7.EE.B.4

14 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Problem 2
The tape diagram represents the equation .

Choice A would be correct if there were only four blocks of length in the tape diagram: students
making this choice may have miscounted, since the four extra flowers fit with the block of length 4
at the end. Students failing to select B or C may be interpreting those situations in ways that can be
described using the equation , rather than . Likewise, students selecting
D or E may incorrectly believe that those situations are of a type that can be represented using the
equation .

Statement
Select all the situations that can be represented by the tape diagram.

A. Clare buys 4 bouquets, each with the same number of flowers. The florist puts an extra
flower in each bouquet before she leaves. She leaves with a total of 99 flowers.

B. Andre babysat 5 times this past month and earned the same amount each time. To
thank him, the family gave him an extra $4 at the end of the month. Andre earned $99
from babysitting.

C. A family of 5 drove to a concert. They paid $4 for parking, and all of their tickets were
the same price. They paid $99 in total.

D. 5 bags of marbles each contain 4 large marbles and the same number of small marbles.
Altogether, the bags contain 99 marbles.

E. Han is baking five batches of muffins. Each batch needs the same amount of sugar in
the muffins, and each batch needs four extra teaspoons of sugar for the topping. Han
uses 99 total teaspoons of sugar.

Solution
["B", "C"]
Aligned Standards
7.EE.B.4
Problem 3
Students selecting B may be confused specifically about how to represent the statement “Diego
does twice as many push-ups as Noah.” Students selecting A or C have made a mistake reading the
problem: we already know Diego does 40 jumping jacks, and we do not know whether Noah does
any push-ups at all.

Unit 6: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities 15

 Statement
At practice, Diego does twice as many push-ups as Noah, and also 40 jumping jacks. He does
62 exercises in total. The equation describes this situation. What does the
variable represent?

A. The number of jumping jacks Diego does

B. The number of push-ups Diego does

C. The number of jumping jacks Noah does

D. The number of push-ups Noah does

Solution
D
Aligned Standards
7.EE.B.4
Problem 4
Some students may struggle with the form of the equation in part a: after subtracting 25, is it or
that remains? The most likely error in part b is forgetting to properly distribute, though some
students may multiply each side by 3 instead to get .

Statement
Solve each equation.

1.

2.

Solution
1.

2.

Aligned Standards
7.EE.B.4.a
Problem 5
This problem points to a common error in solving equations of the form .

Statement
Andre tried to solve the equation . What was his mistake?

16 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution
Sample response: he tried to subtract 12 from each side, but on the left side of the original
equation, the 12 is being multiplied by . He needed to either first distribute the or first divide
each side by .

Minimal Tier 1 response:

• Work is complete and correct.

• Sample: Andre subtracted 12 from each side, but that’s wrong because the 12 is in the
parentheses. He should have done and then subtracted.

Tier 2 response:

• Work shows general conceptual understanding and mastery, with some errors.
• Sample errors: the error is correctly identified, but the explanation is either incorrect or vague;
the problem step is identified by substituting at each step, but no algebra mistake is
identified; work involves solving the equation correctly but does not identify Andre’s error.

Tier 3 response:

• Significant errors in work demonstrate lack of conceptual understanding or mastery.

• Sample errors: a different step is incorrectly identified as the problem step; work points to a
different “error” in the problem step.

Aligned Standards
7.EE.B.4.a
Problem 6
Students need to distinguish a situation leading to an equation of the form from a
situation leading to an equation of the form . The instructions encourage using a tape
diagram, but the diagram is not required.

Statement
A food pantry is making packages. Each package weighs 64 pounds.

Here are two situations. For each situation, write an equation to represent the situation. If
you get stuck, consider drawing a diagram.

Unit 6: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities 17

 1. Each package contains 4 boxes. Each box contains a 7-pound bag of beans and a bag of
rice. The bags of rice are all identical.

2. Each package contains 4 identical bags of rice and a 7-pound bag of beans.

Solution
Sample response:

1. (diagram shows 4 equal parts of with a total of 64)

2. (diagram shows 4 equal boxes labeled and one box labeled 7, with a total of 64)

Minimal Tier 1 response:

• Work is complete and correct.

• Sample:
1. (diagram shows 4 equal parts of with a total of 64)

2. (diagram shows 4 equal boxes labeled and one box labeled 7, with a total of 64)

Tier 2 response:

• Work shows general conceptual understanding and mastery, with some errors.
• Sample errors: one of the equations has been written correctly with errors in the other,
diagram for one situation is drawn correctly but the other has errors.

Tier 3 response:

• Significant errors in work demonstrate lack of conceptual understanding or mastery.

• Sample errors: both equations have been written incorrectly or both diagrams have been
drawn incorrectly, both responses are flawed in some way.

Aligned Standards
7.EE.B.4.a
Problem 7
The expectation is for students to fill in the table using numeric evaluation, but some students may
write the expression right away and use it. Similarly, some students will solve the
equation in the last part, while others will backtrack from the given information.

Watch for students answering 135.6 or 136 instead of 135. These students may not be taking the
time to contextualize (MP2), failing to take the mathematical solution to the equation and apply it to
the context.

18 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Statement
For a school fundraiser, Elena will make T-shirts. She will order T-shirts and print graphics on
them. Elena must spend $349 on a printing machine and $4.80 per shirt for the blank shirts,
ink, and other supplies.

1. Complete the table giving the total cost Elena will spend to make each specific number
of T-shirts.

number of shirts cost in dollars

20

40

60

2. Write an expression for the cost of making T-shirts.

3. What is the maximum number of T-shirts Elena can make with a budget of $1,000?

Solution

number of shirts cost in dollars

1.
20 445

40 541

60 637

2. (or equivalent)

3. 135 T-shirts. Explanations vary. Sample explanation: Since the printing machine costs $349,
Elena will have $651 left to spend on the shirts. Each shirt costs $4.80 to produce. Since is
about 135.6, Elena can make a maximum of 135 T-shirts. She can’t make 136.

Minimal Tier 1 response:

• Work is complete and correct, with complete explanation or justification.

• Sample:
1. See table.

2.

3. The equation is . , so . She can make 135 shirts.

Unit 6: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities 19

 Tier 2 response:

• Work shows good conceptual understanding and mastery, with either minor errors or correct
work with insufficient explanation or justification.

• Sample errors: one incorrect entry in the table; work for part c involves good reasoning but
contains a calculation error; work for part c involves a correctly written equation but contains
an arithmetic error; response of 135.6 or 136 to part c.

Tier 3 response:

• Work shows a developing but incomplete conceptual understanding, with significant errors.
• Sample errors: more than one incorrect entry in the table; an incorrect equation in part b that
is more than a transcription error; work for part c involves a correctly written equation, but the
work to solve that equation contains an algebraic error.

• Acceptable errors: work for parts b and c is based on incorrect table entries or on a
misunderstanding of the situation that nonetheless leads to an equation of the form
or .

Tier 4 response:

• Work includes major errors or omissions that demonstrate a lack of conceptual understanding
and mastery.

• Sample errors: work does not involve a consistent relationship between number of shirts and
cost (including part a); work involves a consistent relationship between these things but the
relationship does not fit or ; three or more error types under Tier 3
response.

Aligned Standards
7.EE.B.4.a

20 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Assessment : End-of-Unit Assessment
Teacher Instructions
Use of a four-function or scientific calculator is encouraged but not required. Do not allow use of
more advanced calculators that may include functions to solve equations directly.

Student Instructions
You may use a four-function or scientific calculator, but not a graphing calculator.
Problem 1
Students selecting C or D may be thinking that, because each song costs $1.29, the amount should
be subtracted. However, the $1.29 per song is added to the amount being spent on the gift card.
Students selecting A or C have made a direction error in the inequality and may need a reminder
about how to check the correct direction of a linear inequality.

Statement
Lin got a $50 gift card to an online music store. She uses the gift card to buy an album for
$9.99. She also wants to use the gift card to buy some songs. Each song costs $1.29.

Which of these inequalities describes this situation, where is the number of songs Lin wants
to buy?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Solution
B
Aligned Standards
7.EE.B.4.b
Problem 2
Students selecting A or B instead of D should be reminded of the recent work on checking numbers
to determine the solution of an inequality. For example, makes the inequality true, so it
should be part of the graph. Students selecting A or C need to re-learn the meaning of open and
closed circles for inequalities.

Statement
Which number line shows all the values of that make the inequality true?

Unit 6: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities 21

 A. A

B. B

C. C

D. D

Solution
D
Aligned Standards
7.EE.B.4.b
Problem 3
Students selecting A have not distributed the negative sign. Students failing to select B might be
thrown by the different ordering of the terms, or might not be distributing the negative sign
correctly. Students failing to select C could have made a variety of algebra mistakes on their way to
simplifying the expression. Students selecting D have also fallen victim to incorrectly distributing the
negative sign. Choice E shows the process for distributing the negative sign explicitly. A student
failing to select E may need some extra coaching with the distributive property.

Statement
Select all expressions that are equivalent to .

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

22 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution
["B", "C", "E"]
Aligned Standards
7.EE.A.1
Problem 4
Students are not required to solve the inequality in part a, but many will anyway, perhaps by first
finding as the time when the temperature was exactly -4 degrees Celsius.

Statement
At midnight, the temperature in a city was 5 degrees Celsius. The temperature was dropping
at a steady rate of 2 degrees Celsius per hour.

1. Write an inequality that represents , the number of hours past midnight, when the
temperature was colder than -4 degrees Celsius. Explain or show your reasoning.

2. On the number line, show all the values of that make your inequality true.

Solution
1. or (or equivalent). Explanations vary. Sample explanations:
◦ shows the temperature starting at 5 degrees Celsius and decreasing by 2 degrees
every hour. Because we want this quantity to be less than -4 degrees Celsius, write
.

◦ The temperature will reach -4 degrees Celsius after hours. Since the temperature
needs to be colder, must be larger than .

2. The graph shows an open circle at with shading to the right.

Minimal Tier 1 response:

• Work is complete and correct.

• Sample:
1. . The temperature starts at 5 degrees, then it goes down 2 degrees every hour. The
temperature has to be less than -4 degrees.

2. The graph shows an open circle at with shading to the right.

Tier 2 response:

Unit 6: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities 23

 • Work shows general conceptual understanding and mastery, with some errors.
• Acceptable errors: a graph in part b based on an incorrect inequality in part a.
• Sample errors: no explanation for a correct inequality; inequality is close but has one mistake,
like ; graph does not use “open circle” notation; direction of inequality is incorrect
in parts a, b, or both.

Tier 3 response:

• Significant errors in work demonstrate lack of conceptual understanding or mastery.

• Sample errors: inequality in part a is not close to correct; graph in part b is omitted or simply
incorrect.

Aligned Standards
7.EE.B.4.b
Problem 5
Look for sign errors in part a. There are multiple ways to factor the expression in part b.

Statement
1. Expand to write an equivalent expression:

2. Factor to write an equivalent expression:

Solution
1.

2. or

Aligned Standards
7.EE.A.1
Problem 6
Students who are very comfortable with algebra can jump straight to the answer in part b without
showing reasoning. However, an incorrect answer with no reasoning earns an automatic Tier 3
rating.

Statement
Tyler is simplifying the expression . Here is his work:

24 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 1. Tyler’s work is incorrect. Explain the error he made.

2. Simplify the expression .

Solution
1. Tyler’s second step, , is not equivalent to the original. Explanations vary.
Sample explanations:
◦ is not equivalent to . I can show this because when is 0, one expression
equals 0 but the other equals 6.

◦ Tyler did not use the distributive property correctly. , not .

2. Stategies vary. Sample reasoning:

Minimal Tier 1 response:

• Work is complete and correct.

• Sample:
1. does not equal .

2.

Tier 2 response:

• Work shows general conceptual understanding and mastery, with some errors.
• Sample errors: Tyler’s error is correctly identified, but the explanation is either incorrect or
vague; the problem step is identified by substituting a value like at each step, but no
algebra mistake is identified; an algebra mistake in part b with otherwise correct work shown.

Tier 3 response:

Unit 6: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities 25

 • Significant errors in work demonstrate lack of conceptual understanding or mastery.
• Sample errors: failure to identify the error in Tyler’s reasoning; incorrect answer to part b with
no work shown.

Aligned Standards
7.EE.A.1
Problem 7
The first two parts test students’ understanding of the situation numerically and help them discover
or recognize the meaning of the expression .

There are multiple other possible equations and inequalities, including and
.

Statement
Diego’s family car holds 14 gallons of fuel. Each day the car uses 0.6 gallons of fuel. A warning
light comes on when the remaining fuel is 1.5 gallons or less.

1. Starting from a full tank, can Diego’s family drive the car for 14 days without the warning
light coming on? Explain or show your reasoning.

2. Starting from a full tank, can Diego’s family drive the car for 25 days without the warning
light coming on? Explain or show your reasoning.

3. Diego says the expression helps him understand this situation. In this
situation, what does this expression represent, and what does the variable stand for?

4. Write and solve an equation to determine the number of days Diego’s father can drive
the car without the warning light coming on.

5. Write and solve an inequality that represents this situation. Explain clearly what the
solution to the inequality means in the context of this situation.

Solution
1. Yes, in 14 days the car uses 8.4 gallons of gas, since . 5.6 gallons remain, so the
warning light is off.

2. No, in 25 days the car uses 15 gallons of gas, since . This is not possible, since
the car only holds 14 gallons of gas. The warning light would come on, and the tank would run
out of gas before then.

3. is the amount of gas in the tank, in gallons, after days of driving.

26 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 4. Answers vary. Sample response: The equation is . Subtract 14 from each side
to get . Divide each side by to get . The car can drive for 20 days,
and the light will come on near the end of the 21st day.

5. Answers vary. Sample response: The inequality represents the times when the
warning light is off. The solution to this inequality is , so the warning light is off for all
times until near the end of the 21st day.

Minimal Tier 1 response:

• Work is complete and correct, with complete explanation or justification.

• Acceptable errors: saying that Diego’s father can drive for 21 days if it is specified that the light
will come on during the 21st day.

• Sample:
1. Yes, because .

2. No, because .

3. The expression is how much gas is left. is the number of days.

4. , , . He can drive for 20 days.

5. . because 20.83 is when the light comes on and before that the light
would be off. This means that Diego’s father can drive for 20 days before the warning light
comes on.

Tier 2 response:

• Work shows good conceptual understanding and mastery, with either minor errors or correct
work with insufficient explanation or justification.

• Sample errors: any arithmetic errors with work shown; poor explanations (especially in part c)
wth otherwise correct work; assertion that since is a solution to the equation,
Diego’s father can drive for 21 full days; failure to justify the direction of inequality in the
solution to part e (where justification can involve algebra, testing points, or appealing to the
context).

Tier 3 response:

• Work shows a developing but incomplete conceptual understanding, with significant errors.
• Sample errors: a misinterpretation of the situation leads to incorrect answers for a and b;
equation in part d is incorrect; reversed inequality sign in either the original inequality or the
solution to part e; omission of real-world interpretation in parts d and e.

Tier 4 response:

Unit 6: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities 27

 • Work includes major errors or omissions that demonstrate a lack of conceptual understanding
and mastery.

• Sample errors: little progress on most problem parts; three or more error types under Tier 3
response.

Aligned Standards
7.EE.B.3, 7.EE.B.4

28 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 1: Relationships between Quantities
Goals
• Determine unknown values in a relationship that is not proportional, and explain (orally and in
writing) the solution method.

• Interpret and describe (orally and in writing) relationships that are predictable, but not
proportional.

• Justify (orally) that a given relationship is not proportional.

Learning Targets
• I can think of ways to solve some more complicated word problems.
Lesson Narrative
In this introductory lesson, students encounter some engaging contexts characterized by
relationships that are not proportional. The goal is simply to see that we need some new
strategies—it is the work of the upcoming unit to develop strategies for efficiently solving problems
about contexts like some of the ones in this lesson. In this lesson, is not expected that
students write expressions or equations, or use any specific representation. Students may choose
to make diagrams or tables or reason in some other way.

Alignments
Building On
• 7.RP.A.2: Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities.
• 7.RP.A.2.a: Decide whether two quantities are in a proportional relationship, e.g., by testing for
equivalent ratios in a table or graphing on a coordinate plane and observing whether the
graph is a straight line through the origin.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B: Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic expressions
and equations.

• 7.EE.B.4: Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and

construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the
quantities.

• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,

where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Unit 6: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities 29

 Instructional Routines
• MLR6: Three Reads
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• Think Pair Share
Student Learning Goals
Let’s try to solve some new kinds of problems.

1.1 Pricing Theater Popcorn

Warm Up: 10 minutes
A context is described, and students generate two sets of values. The purpose of this warm-up is to
remind students of some characteristics that make a relationship proportional or not proportional,
so that later in the lesson, they are better equipped to recognize that a relationship is not
proportional and explain why.

The numbers were deliberately chosen to encourage different ways of viewing a proportional
relationship. For 20 ounces and 35 ounces, students might move from row to row and think in
terms of scale factors. This approach is less straightforward for 48 ounces, and some students may
shift to thinking in terms of unit rates.

There are many possible rationales for choosing numbers so that size is not proportional to price.
As long as the numbers are different from those in the “proportional” column, the relationship
between size and price is guaranteed to be not proportional. Look for students who have a
reasonable way to explain why their set of numbers is not proportional, like “the unit price is
different for each size,” or “each size costs a different amount per ounce.”

Building On
• 7.RP.A.2
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B
Instructional Routines
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Ask students to remember the last time they went to the movies. What do they know about the
popcorn for sale? What sizes does it come in? About how much does it cost? Tell students that in
this activity, they will come up with prices for different sizes of popcorn—one set of prices in which
the price is in proportion to the size, and another set of prices in which the price is not in proportion
to the size, but is still reasonable. Ask students to be ready to explain the reasons they chose the
numbers they did.

30 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Arrange students in groups of 2. Give 2 minutes of quiet work time and then invite students to
share their sentences with their partner, followed by whole-class discussion.

Student Task Statement

A movie theater sells popcorn in bags of different sizes. The table shows the volume of
popcorn and the price of the bag.

Complete one column of the table with prices where popcorn is priced at a constant rate.
That is, the amount of popcorn is proportional to the price of the bag. Then complete the
other column with realistic example prices where the amount of popcorn and price of the
bag are not in proportion.

volume of popcorn price of bag, proportional price of bag, not proportional

(ounces) ($) ($)

10 6 6

20

35

48

Student Response
Answers vary for the rightmost column. Sample response:

volume of popcorn price of bag, proportional price of bag, not proportional

(ounces) ($) ($)

10 6 6

20 12 11

35 21 20

48 28.8 25

Activity Synthesis
Invite a student to share their prices for the proportional relationship and how they decided on
those numbers. Ask if any students thought of it in a different way.

Then, invite a student to share their prices for the relationship that is not proportional and record
these for all to see. Ask students to explain ways you can tell that the relationship is not
proportional.

Unit 6 Lesson 1: Relationships between Quantities 31

 1.2 Entrance Fees
10 minutes
This context was used in an earlier unit about proportional relationships as an example of a
relationship that is not proportional. However, a different rule for determining the entrance fee is
used here.

Watch for students who organize the given information in a table or another visual representation,
and for unique, correct approaches to the first two questions.

Building On
• 7.RP.A.2.a
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR6: Three Reads
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Tell students that unlike in the previous activity where they could make up any numbers, this
activity has a relationship where there is a pattern, and part of the work is to figure out the pattern.
This activity has to do with an entrance fee to a park, where the fee is based on the number of
people in the vehicle.

Keep students in the same groups. Give 2 minutes of quiet work time and then invite students to
share their sentences with their partner, followed by whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Demonstrate and encourage students to use color

coding and annotations to highlight connections between representations in a problem. For
example, use the same color to highlight the number of people with its corresponding
entrance fee, making annotations of how the fee was calculated.
Supports accessibility for: Visual-spatial processing

32 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Reading, Representing: MLR6 Three Reads. Use this routine to help students understand the
question and to represent the relationships between quantities. Use the first read to orient
students to the situation. Ask students to describe what the situation is about without using
numbers (the park charges an entrance fee that includes the number of people in the car).
After the second read, ask students what can be counted or measured in this situation. Listen
for, and amplify, the quantities that vary in relation to each other: number of people in a
vehicle; entrance fee amount, in dollars. After the third read, ask students to organize the
information (using a list, table, or diagram) and brainstorm ideas for how much the park
charges for each person in the car.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making

Anticipated Misconceptions
Students may misunderstand that the first two questions require noticing and extending a pattern,
and (because of the warm-up) think that any reasonable number is acceptable. Encourage them to
organize the given information and think about what rule the park might use to determine the
entrance fee based on the number of people in the vehicle.

Students may come up with “rules” that aren’t supported by the context or the given information.
For example, they may notice that each additional person costs $3, but then reason that 30 people
must cost $90. Whatever their rule, ask them to check that whether it works for all of the
information given. For example, since 2 people cost $14, we can tell that “$3 per person” is not the
rule.

Student Task Statement

A state park charges an entrance fee based on the number of people in a vehicle. A car
containing 2 people is charged $14, a car containing 4 people is charged $20, and a van
containing 8 people is charged $32.

1. How much do you think a bus containing 30 people would be charged?

2. If a bus is charged $122, how many people do you think it contains?

3. What rule do you think the state park uses to decide the entrance fee for a vehicle?

Student Response
1. $98. Sample reasoning: From 2 people to 4 people, there are 2 additional people that cost 6
additional dollars. From 4 people to 8 people, there are 4 additional people that cost 12
additional dollars. It seems like each additional person costs 3 additional dollars. From 8
people to 30 people is 22 additional people, so they should cost 66 additional dollars, and

Unit 6 Lesson 1: Relationships between Quantities 33

 2. 38 people. Sample reasoning: $122 is $24 more than $98. An additional $24 is 8 additional
people, and

3. $8 for the vehicle plus $3 for each passenger. Sample reasoning: 2 people cost $14, so if each
person is charged $3, that leaves $8 for the vehicle.

Activity Synthesis
Invite a student who organized the given information in a table to share. If no students did this,
display this table for all to see:

number of people entrance fee in dollars

2 14

4 20

8 32

30

122

Ask: “What are some ways that you can tell that this relationship is not proportional?” Possible
responses:

• 2 people to 4 people is double, but 14 to 20 is not double.

• , but . If the entrance fee were in proportion to the number of people,
each quotient would be equal.

• You can’t describe the situation with an equation like .

Invite students who had different strategies for answering the first two questions to share their
responses. Ask them to share as many unique strategies as time allows. Ask each student who
responds to state their rule that the park uses to decide the entrance fee. Record all unique, correct
rules for all to see so students can see different ways of expressing the same idea. For example, the
rule might be expressed:

• 8 dollars for the vehicle plus 3 dollars per person

• 3 dollars for every person and an additional $8
• 3 times the number of people plus 8
•
Note: We have the entire rest of the unit to systematically develop relationships like these. There is
no need to formalize or generalize anything yet!

34 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 1.3 Making Toast
Optional: 10 minutes
In this activity, students are presented with a different relationship that is not proportional and also
doesn’t fit a pattern that can be characterized by an equation in the form (like the
previous activity could be). This optional activity is a good opportunity for students to interpret
another context and describe a relationship, but it can be safely skipped if the previous activity
takes too much time.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B
Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. Give 2 minutes of quiet work time and then invite students to
share their sentences with their partner, followed by whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. Provide students with a two column table
for processing and organizing information. Invite students to share their column labels (for
example, number of slices and number of seconds) and how they organized the given
information.
Supports accessibility for: Language; Organization

Student Task Statement

A toaster has 4 slots for bread. Once the toaster is warmed up, it takes 35 seconds to make 4
slices of toast, 70 seconds to make 8 slices, and 105 seconds to make 12 slices.

1. How long do you think it will take to make 20 slices?

2. If someone makes as many slices of toast as possible in 4 minutes and 40 seconds, how
many slices do think they can make?

Student Response
1. 175 seconds

2. 32 slices

Sample table:

Unit 6 Lesson 1: Relationships between Quantities 35

 number of slices seconds it would take to make that number of slices

1 35

2 35

3 35

4 35

5 70

6 70

7 70

8 70

9 105

10 105

11 105

12 105

Are You Ready for More?

What is the smallest number that has a remainder of 1, 2, and 3 when divided by 2, 3, and 4,
respectively? Are there more numbers that have this property?

Student Response
11; yes

Activity Synthesis
Invite students to share their responses and their reasoning. Select as many unique approaches as
time allows.

36 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Reading, Speaking: MLR7 Compare and Connect. During the whole-class discussion, invite students
to look for what is the same and what is different between the various approaches to solving
the problem. Display and discuss differences in the tables and diagrams. Invite students to
make connections by looking for the same quantity (e.g., 20 slices) in each representation.
These exchanges strengthen students’ mathematical language use and reasoning based on
ratios.
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness

Lesson Synthesis
The goal of this lesson is to recognize that there are situations in the world that are more
complicated than what we have studied until this point, and to let students know this unit is about
developing tools to solve some more sophisticated problems. Questions for discussion:

• “Describe some rules we encountered in this lesson for how one quantity was related to
another quantity.”

• “What made these situations more complicated than relationships we have seen in the past?”
• “What were some tools or strategies we used that were particularly helpful?”

1.4 Movie Theater Popcorn, Revisited

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Student Task Statement
A movie theater sells popcorn in bags of different sizes. The table shows the volume of
popcorn and the price of the bag.

volume of popcorn (ounces) price of bag ($)

10 6

20 8

35 11

48 13.6

If the theater wanted to offer a 60-ounce bag of popcorn, what would be a good price?
Explain your reasoning.

Unit 6 Lesson 1: Relationships between Quantities 37

 Student Response
Answers vary. Sample responses:

• $16, because there is a pattern of $4 plus $0.20 per ounce.

• $15, because there should be a discount for buying a larger bag of popcorn.

Student Lesson Summary

In much of our previous work that involved relationships
between two quantities, we were often able to describe number of total cost in
amounts as being so much more than another, or so many pies dollars
times as much as another. We wrote equations like
and and solved for unknown amounts. 1 13

In this unit, we will see situations where relationships 2 23

between amounts involve more operations. For example, a
pizza store might charge the amounts shown in the table for 3 33
delivering pies.
5 53

We can see that each additional pie adds $10 to the total cost, and that each total includes a
$3 additional cost, maybe representing a delivery fee. In this situation, 8 pies will cost
and a total cost of $63 means 6 pies were ordered.

In this unit, we will see many situations like this one, and will learn how to use diagrams and
equations to answer questions about unknown amounts.

Lesson 1 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
Lin and Tyler are drawing circles. Tyler's circle has twice the diameter of Lin’s circle. Tyler
thinks that his circle will have twice the area of Lin’s circle as well. Do you agree with Tyler?

Solution
No, radius and area are not proportional. The area of Tyler's circle will be 4 times as big as the area
of Lin’s circle.

(From Unit 3, Lesson 7.)

Problem 2
Statement
Jada and Priya are trying to solve the equation .

38 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 ◦ Jada says, “I think we should multiply each side by because that is the reciprocal of .”

◦ Priya says, “I think we should add to each side because that is the opposite of .”

a. Which person’s strategy should they use? Why?

b. Write an equation that can be solved using the other person’s strategy.

Solution
a. Priya is correct. The operation in the expression is addition. Adding the additive inverse
of to both sides of the equation will change the equation to the form “ .”

b. Answers vary. Sample response: .

(From Unit 5, Lesson 15.)

Problem 3
Statement
What are the missing operations?

a. 48 ? (-8) = (-6)

b. (-40) ? 8 =( -5)

c. 12 ? (-2) = 14

d. 18 ? (-12) = 6

e. 18 ? (-20) = -2

f. 22 ? (-0.5) = -11

Solution
a. Divide

b. Divide

c. Subtract

d. Add

e. Add

f. Multiply

(From Unit 5, Lesson 13.)

Unit 6 Lesson 1: Relationships between Quantities 39

 Problem 4
Statement
In football, the team that has the ball has four chances to gain at least ten yards. If they don't
gain at least ten yards, the other team gets the ball. Positive numbers represent a gain and
negative numbers represent a loss. Select all of the sequences of four plays that result in the
team getting to keep the ball.

A. 8, -3, 4, 21

B. 30, -7, -8, -12

C. 2, 16, -5, -3

D. 5, -2, 20, -1

E. 20, -3, -13, 2

Solution
["A", "C", "D"]
(From Unit 5, Lesson 14.)

Problem 5
Statement
A sandwich store charges $20 to have 3 turkey subs delivered and $26 to have 4 delivered.

a. Is the relationship between number of turkey subs delivered and amount charged
proportional? Explain how you know.

b. How much does the store charge for 1 additional turkey sub?

c. Describe a rule for determining how much the store charges based on the number of
turkey subs delivered.

Solution
a. No. Sample reasoning: If they deliver 3 turkey subs, they charge $6.67 per sub, but for 4 subs,
they charge $6.50 per sub.

b. $6

c. The rule could be $6 per sub plus a $2 delivery fee. 6 times 3 is 18, but they charged $2 more
than that for 3 subs. 6 times 4 is 24, but they charged $2 more than that for 4 subs.

40 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Problem 6
Statement
Which question cannot be answered by the solution to the equation ?

A. Elena read three times as many pages as Noah. She read 27 pages. How many pages
did Noah read?

B. Lin has 27 stickers. She gives 3 stickers to each of her friends. With how many friends
did Lin share her stickers?

C. Diego paid $27 to have 3 pizzas delivered and $35 to have 4 pizzas delivered. What is
the price of one pizza?

D. The coach splits a team of 27 students into 3 groups to practice skills. How many
students are in each group?

Solution
C

Unit 6 Lesson 1: Relationships between Quantities 41

 Lesson 2: Reasoning about Contexts with Tape
Diagrams
Goals
• Draw and label a tape diagram to represent relationships between quantities in a situation.
• Explain (orally and in writing) how to use a tape diagram to determine the value of an
unknown quantity in a situation.

• Interpret a tape diagram that represents a relationship of the form or .

Learning Targets
• I can explain how a tape diagram represents parts of a situation and relationships between
them.

• I can use a tape diagram to find an unknown amount in a situation.

Lesson Narrative
In this lesson, students represent and reason about contexts using tape diagrams. Students may
have had experience with tape diagrams in earlier grades, and have seen some examples of their
use in prior units. For example, tape diagrams were used to represent percent increase and
decrease situations. First, they interpret some given tape diagrams. Then, they interpret a story and
create tape diagrams. While the contexts lead to equations of the forms and
, this lesson is not about writing equations. Likewise, students are asked to find an
unknown value in several story problems, but the intention is for them to use any reasoning that
makes sense to them. It is not expected that they write and solve equations, or that any particular
method is stressed.

Alignments
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3: Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with positive and
negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals), using tools
strategically. Apply properties of operations to calculate with numbers in any form; convert
between forms as appropriate; and assess the reasonableness of answers using mental
computation and estimation strategies. For example: If a woman making an hour gets a
raise, she will make an additional of her salary an hour, or , for a new salary of
. If you want to place a towel bar inches long in the center of a door that is
inches wide, you will need to place the bar about inches from each edge; this estimate can
be used as a check on the exact computation.

42 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4: Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and
construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the
quantities.

Instructional Routines
• MLR3: Clarify, Critique, Correct
• Notice and Wonder
Student Learning Goals
Let’s use tape diagrams to make sense of different kinds of stories.

2.1 Notice and Wonder: Remembering Tape

Diagrams
Warm Up: 5 minutes
The purpose of this warm-up is to re-introduce students to these diagrams as a representation of
relationships between quantities. As students use tape diagrams as a tool for reasoning, they
understand that the length of a piece of the “tape” carries meaning. Two pieces drawn to be the
same length are understood to represent the same value. These pieces can be labeled with values
to clarify what is known about the diagram, so two pieces labeled with the same letter indicate that
they have the same value, even if that value is not known. These diagrams will be helpful for
reasoning about situations in activities in this lesson. When students choose to use a tape diagram
to represent a relationship between values and reason about a problem, they are using appropriate
tools strategically (MP5). Tasks like this one ensure that students understand how such a tool works
so that they are more likely to choose to use it correctly and appropriately.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4
Instructional Routines
• Notice and Wonder
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Tell students that they will look at an image, and their job is to
think of at least one thing they notice and at least one thing they wonder. Display the image for all
to see. Ask students to give a signal when they have noticed or wondered about something. Give
students 1 minute of quiet think time, and then 1 minute to discuss the things they notice with their
partner, followed by a whole-class discussion.

Give students 1 additional minute of quiet work time to complete the second question followed by
a whole-class discussion.

Unit 6 Lesson 2 43
 Student Task Statement

1. What do you notice? What do you wonder?

2. What are some possible values for , , and in the first diagram?

For , , and in the second diagram? How did you decide on those values?

Student Response
Answers vary. Sample responses:

1. Things students may notice or wonder:

◦ There are two diagrams of rectangles with pieces labeled , , , , , and .
◦ The and appear at the top of the diagrams.

◦ Each diagrams consist of a large rectangle and they appear to be the same length as
each other.

◦ In the first diagram, the rectangle contains 4 ’s.

◦ In the second diagram, the rectangle contains 4 ’s and 1 .

◦ What do the diagrams represent?

◦ What do the pieces of the diagrams represent?
◦ Do all of the ’s represent the same value? All the ’s? All the ’s?

◦ Are longer pieces “worth” more?

2. In the first diagram, if and , and we assume that is the total, then
. In the second diagram, if and , and we assume that is the
total, then .

Activity Synthesis
Ask students to share the things they noticed and wondered. Record and display their responses
for all to see. If possible, record the relevant reasoning on or near the image. After each response,
ask the class whether they agree or disagree and to explain alternative ways of thinking, referring
back to the images each time.

44 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Ask students to share possible values for the variables in each diagram. Record and display their
responses for all to see. If possible, record the values on the displayed diagram. If the idea that
pieces labeled with the same variable represent the same value does not arise in the discussion,
make that idea explicit. For example, students should assume that all the pieces labeled with in
one diagram have the same value. When they make tape diagrams, they know to draw rectangles of
the same length to show the same value, but since quick diagrams are sometimes sloppy, it’s also
important to label pieces with numbers or letters to show known and relative values.

2.2 Every Picture Tells a Story

15 minutes
In this activity, students explain how a tape diagram represents a situation. They also use the tape
diagram to reason about the value of the unknown quantity. Students are not expected to write
and solve equations here; any method they can explain for finding values for and
is acceptable. While some students might come up with equations to describe the diagram and
solve for the unknown, there is no need to focus on developing those ideas at this time.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4
Instructional Routines
• MLR3: Clarify, Critique, Correct
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 3. (Some groups of 2 are okay, if needed.)

Ask students if they know what a “flyer” is. If any students do not know, explain or ask a student to
explain. If possible, reference some examples of flyers hanging in school.

Ensure students understand they should take turns speaking and listening, and that there are two
things to do for each diagram: explain why it represents the story, and also figure out any unknown
values in the story.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. Chunk this task into more manageable
parts to support students who benefit from support with organizational skills in problem
solving. Consider pausing after the first question for a brief class discussion before moving on.
Supports accessibility for: Organization; Attention

Unit 6 Lesson 2 45
 Anticipated Misconceptions
Students may not realize that when a variable is assigned to represent a quantity in a situation, it
has the same value each time it appears. Revisit what and represent in these problems and why
each occurrence of a variable must represent the same value.

In the second situation, students might argue that a more accurate representation would be 5
boxes with to show the first distribution of stickers, and then five boxes with 2 to show the second
distribution. Tell students that such a representation would indeed correctly describe the actions in
the situation, but that the work of the task is to understand this diagram to set us up for success
later.

Student Task Statement

Here are three stories with a diagram that represents it. With your group, decide who will go
first. That person explains why the diagram represents the story. Work together to find any
unknown amounts in the story. Then, switch roles for the second diagram and switch again
for the third.

1. Mai made 50 flyers for five volunteers in her club to hang up around school. She gave 5
flyers to the first volunteer, 18 flyers to the second volunteer, and divided the remaining
flyers equally among the three remaining volunteers.

2. To thank her five volunteers, Mai gave each of them the same number of stickers. Then
she gave them each two more stickers. Altogether, she gave them a total of 30 stickers.

3. Mai distributed another group of flyers equally among the five volunteers. Then she
remembered that she needed some flyers to give to teachers, so she took 2 flyers from
each volunteer. Then, the volunteers had a total of 40 flyers to hang up.

46 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Response
1. Answers vary. Unknown amounts that students may find include the remaining number of
flyers (27) and the number of flyers given to each of the 3 remaining volunteers (9). The whole
rectangle represents the 50 flyers that Mai made. She split them up into five parts: 5, 18, and 3
equal parts for the rest. The 3 equal parts are shown by 3 same-sized boxes. represents the
number of flyers for each of the 3 remaining volunteers. is the number of flyers
remaining after Mai gave out 5 and 18. That part has to represent 27 flyers, since 23 of
them have already been given out. So each represents 9 flyers.

2. Answers vary. Unknown amounts that students may find include the total number of stickers
each student receives (6) and the number they received at first (4). The whole rectangle
represents the 30 stickers. They are divided into 5 equal parts since the 5 volunteers each got
the same number of stickers. They each got some ( ) and then each got 2 more, so each one
got stickers. We can find by thinking that 30 divides into 5 groups of 6. If each volunteer
received 6 stickers in total, they got 4 before the extra 2 were added. Another way to think
about is to first take away the 10 extra stickers that were given out. Then 5 groups of 4 would
make up the remaining 20 stickers. So represents 4 stickers.

3. Answers vary. Unknown amounts that students may find include the number of flyers each
student has in the end (8), the number they received at first (10), and the total number of
flyers (50). The whole rectangle represents 40 flyers. They are divided into 5 equal parts since
the 5 volunteers each got the same number of flyers. They each got some ( ) and then each
gave back 2, so each one has flyers. We can find by thinking that 40 divides into 5
groups of 8. If each volunteer has 8 flyers, they got 10 before the 2 were taken away. So there
were originally 50 flyers, which is the 40 that the volunteers have, plus the 10 that Mai took
back.

Activity Synthesis
Tape diagrams represent relationships between quantities in stories. The goals here are to make
sure students understand how parts of the diagram match the information about the story, and for
them to begin to reason about how the diagrams connect to the operations that can help find
unknown amounts.

Invite one group to provide an explanation for each diagram—both how the diagram represents
the story, and how they reasoned about the unknown amounts. After each, ask the class if anyone
thought about it a different way. (One additional line of reasoning for each diagram is probably
sufficient.)

Here are some questions you might ask to encourage students to be more specific:

• “What question could you ask about the story?”

• “Where in the diagrams do you see equal parts? How do you know they are equal?”
• “What quantity does the variable represent in the story? How do you know?”
• “In the first story, where in the diagram do we see the ‘remaining flyers’?”

Unit 6 Lesson 2 47
 • “Why don’t we see the number 3 in the first diagram to show the 3 remaining volunteers?”
• “In the second diagram, where are the five volunteers represented?”
• “How did the diagrams help you find the value of the unknown quantities?”

Support for English Language Learners

Conversing: MLR3 Clarify, Critique, Correct. Present an incorrect statement for the second
situation that reflects a possible misunderstanding from the class. For example, “Mai gave 6
stickers to each of the volunteers because 30 divided by 5 is 6. So is 6.” Prompt students to
identify the error, and then write a correct statement. This helps students evaluate, and
improve on, the written mathematical arguments of others and to understand the importance
of defining the variable in context of the situation.
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness

2.3 Every Story Needs a Picture

15 minutes (there is a digital version of this activity)
In the previous activity, students interpreted given tape diagrams and explained how they
represented a story. Here, they have a chance to draw tape diagrams to represent a story. The first
story is a bit more scaffolded because it specifies what represents. In the other two stories,
students need to decide which quantity to represent with a variable and choose a letter to use. As
with all activities in this lesson, students are not expected to write and solve an equation. This
preliminary work supports the understanding needed to be able to represent such situations with
equations.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. You might have each student draw all three diagrams and
compare them with their groups, working together to resolve any discrepancies. Or if time is short,
you might assign each student in the group a different story—ask each student to explain their
diagram to their group to see if their group members agree with their interpretation.

For classrooms using the digital version of the materials, take a minute to demonstrate how the
controls work in the applet. Some students may prefer to draw the diagrams in their notebooks or
on scratch paper.

48 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. Provide students with a blank template of a
tape diagram to represent each story.
Supports accessibility for: Language; Organization

Student Task Statement

Here are three more stories. Draw a tape diagram to represent each story. Then describe
how you would find any unknown amounts in the stories.

1. Noah and his sister are making gift bags for a birthday party. Noah puts 3 pencil erasers
in each bag. His sister puts stickers in each bag. After filling 4 bags, they have used a
total of 44 items.

2. Noah’s family also wants to blow up a total of 60 balloons for the party. Yesterday they
blew up 24 balloons. Today they want to split the remaining balloons equally between
four family members.

3. Noah’s family bought some fruit bars to put in the gift bags. They bought one box each
of four flavors: apple, strawberry, blueberry, and peach. The boxes all had the same
number of bars. Noah wanted to taste the flavors and ate one bar from each box. There
were 28 bars left for the gift bags.

Student Response

1. or equivalent.
Answers vary. Unknown amounts that students may find include the number of stickers in
each bag (8) and the total number of items in each bag (11). Dividing 44 into 4 equal parts
gives 11 items for each bag, which means 3 erasers and 8 stickers in each. Another way is to
subtract the 12 erasers from 44, giving 32 items left. 32 stickers split evenly among 4 bags is 8
in each bag.

2. or equivalent.

Unit 6 Lesson 2 49
 Answers vary. Unknown amounts that students may find include the number of balloons they
need to blow up today (36) and the number that each of the four family members blows up
(9). The number of balloons left to blow up is found by or 36. Splitting those up
equally among four people is or 9 each.

3. or equivalent.

Answers vary. Unknown amounts that students may find include the number of bars left in
each box (7), the number of bars originally in each box (8), and the total number of bars there
were in the four boxes (32). Dividing 28 into 4 equal parts gives 7 bars left in each box. Adding
1 to each gives 8 in each box originally for a total of or 32 bars.

Are You Ready for More?

Design a tiling that uses a repeating pattern consisting of 2 kinds of shapes (e.g., 1 hexagon
with 3 triangles forming a triangle). How many times did you repeat the pattern in your
picture? How many individual shapes did you use?

Student Response
Answers vary.

Activity Synthesis
Much of the discussion will take place in groups. Here are some ideas for synthesizing students’
learning about creating tape diagrams:

• Ask students if they had any disagreements in their groups and how they resolved them.
• Ask students how they decided which unknown quantity to find in the story. The first story
specifies stickers, but the other stories do not define a variable.

• Display one diagram for each story and ask students to explain how they are alike and how
they are different.

Lesson Synthesis
Display one or more of the tape diagrams students encountered or created during the lesson. Ask,
“What are some ways that tape diagrams give information about a story?” Responses to highlight:

• A total amount is indicated.

• Pieces that represent equal amounts are the same length (or roughly the same length, if
sketching by hand).

50 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 • Pieces that represent different amounts are not the same length.
• Pieces are labeled with either their amounts, a variable representing an unknown amount, or
an expression like to mean “1 more than the unknown amount.”

2.4 Red and Yellow Apples

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4
Student Task Statement
Here is a story: Lin bought 4 bags of apples. Each bag had the same number of apples. After
eating 1 apple from each bag, she had 28 apples left.

1. Which diagram best represents the story?

Explain why the diagram represents it.

2. What part of the story does represent?

3. Describe how you would find the unknown amount in the story.

Student Response
1. C. When she ate 1 apple from each bag, there were apples left in each bag.

2. represents the number of apples in 1 bag before Lin ate any apples.

3. Each of the 4 pieces of the diagram represents 7 apples, because If , then

is 8.

Unit 6 Lesson 2 51
 Student Lesson Summary
Tape diagrams are useful for representing how quantities are related and can help us answer
questions about a situation.

Suppose a school receives 46 copies of a popular book. The library takes 26 copies and the
remainder are split evenly among 4 teachers. How many books does each teacher receive?
This situation involves 4 equal parts and one other part. We can represent the situation with
a rectangle labeled 26 (books given to the library) along with 4 equal-sized parts (books split
among 4 teachers). We label the total, 46, to show how many the rectangle represents in all.
We use a letter to show the unknown amount, which represents the number of books each
teacher receives. Using the same letter, , means that the same number is represented four
times.

Some situations have parts that are all equal, but each part has been increased from an
original amount:

A company manufactures a special type of sensor, and packs them in boxes of 4 for
shipment. Then a new design increases the weight of each sensor by 9 grams. The new
package of 4 sensors weighs 76 grams. How much did each sensor weigh originally?

We can describe this situation with a rectangle representing a total of 76 split into 4 equal
parts. Each part shows that the new weight, , is 9 more than the original weight, .

Lesson 2 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
The table shows the number of apples and the total weight of the apples.

number of apples weight of apples (grams)

2 511

5 1200

8 2016

Estimate the weight of 6 apples.

52 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution
About 1500 grams.

(From Unit 3, Lesson 1.)

Problem 2
Statement
Select all stories that the tape diagram can represent.

A. There are 87 children and 39 adults at a show. The seating in the theater is split into 4
equal sections.

B. There are 87 first graders in after-care. After 39 students are picked up, the teacher put
the remaining students into 4 groups for an activity.

C. Lin buys a pack of 87 pencils. She gives 39 to her teacher and shared the remaining
pencils between herself and 3 friends.

D. Andre buys 4 packs of paper clips with 39 paper clips in each. Then he gives 87 paper
clips to his teacher.

E. Diego’s family spends $87 on 4 tickets to the fair and a $39 dinner.

Solution
["B", "C", "E"]

Problem 3
Statement
Andre wants to save $40 to buy a gift for his dad. Andre’s neighbor will pay him weekly to
mow the lawn, but Andre always gives a $2 donation to the food bank in weeks when he
earns money. Andre calculates that it will take him 5 weeks to earn the money for his dad’s
gift. He draws a tape diagram to represent the situation.

a. Explain how the parts of the tape diagram represent the story.

b. How much does Andre’s neighbor pay him each week to mow the lawn?

Unit 6 Lesson 2 53
 Solution
a. Answers vary. Sample response: The 5 equal parts represent the 5 weeks. In each week, Andre
will earn dollars for mowing his neighbor’s lawn and give $2 to the food bank, so he will
save dollars. In five weeks, he will save a total of $40.

b. $10

Problem 4
Statement
Without evaluating each expression, determine which value is the greatest. Explain how you
know.

a.

b.

c.

d.

Solution
is the greatest because it is the only expression with a positive value.

(From Unit 5, Lesson 13.)

Problem 5
Statement
Solve each equation.

a.

b.

c.

d.

Solution
a. -25.5

b. -4

c. 12

54 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 d. -8

(From Unit 5, Lesson 15.)

Unit 6 Lesson 2 55
 Lesson 3: Reasoning about Equations with Tape
Diagrams
Goals
• Coordinate tape diagrams and equations of the form or .

• Create a tape diagram to represent an equation of the form or , and

use it to solve the equation.

• Identify equivalent equations, and justify (using words and other representations) that they
are equivalent.

Learning Targets
• I can match equations and tape diagrams that represent the same situation.
• If I have an equation, I can draw a tape diagram that shows the same relationship.
Lesson Narrative
The purpose of this lesson is to make connections between a tape diagram and an equation of the
form or Students match tape diagrams to corresponding equations and
sort them into categories, and then they draw tape diagrams to represent equations. They use the
tape diagram and the equation to reason about a solution, but it is expected that students reason
using any method that makes sense to them. It’s not yet time to teach particular methods for
solving particular types of equations.

Alignments
Building On
• 6.EE.A.4: Identify when two expressions are equivalent (i.e., when the two expressions name
the same number regardless of which value is substituted into them). For example, the
expressions and are equivalent because they name the same number regardless
of which number stands for.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3: Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with positive and
negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals), using tools
strategically. Apply properties of operations to calculate with numbers in any form; convert
between forms as appropriate; and assess the reasonableness of answers using mental
computation and estimation strategies. For example: If a woman making an hour gets a
raise, she will make an additional of her salary an hour, or , for a new salary of
. If you want to place a towel bar inches long in the center of a door that is
inches wide, you will need to place the bar about inches from each edge; this estimate can
be used as a check on the exact computation.

56 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4: Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and
construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the
quantities.

Instructional Routines
• Anticipate, Monitor, Select, Sequence, Connect
• MLR1: Stronger and Clearer Each Time
• MLR2: Collect and Display
• Take Turns
• Think Pair Share
Student Learning Goals
Let’s see how equations can describe tape diagrams.

3.1 Find Equivalent Expressions

Warm Up: 10 minutes
Students learned all about the distributive property in grade 6, including how to use the distributive
property to rewrite expressions like and . This is an opportunity for students to
remember what the distributive property is all about before they will be expected to use it in the
process of solving equations of the form later in this unit. If this activity indicates that
students remember little of the distributive property from grade 6, heavier interventions may be
needed.

Look for students who:

• Rule out expressions by testing values

• Use the term distributive property
Building On
• 6.EE.A.4
Instructional Routines
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Ask students to think of anything they know about equivalent expressions. Ask if they can:

• Explain why and are not equivalent. (These expressions are equal when is 2, but not
equal for other values of . Multiplying 2 by a number usually gives a different result than
adding that number to 2.)

Unit 6 Lesson 3 57
 • Explain why and are equivalent. (These expressions are equal no matter the value
of . Also, addition is commutative.)

• Think of another example of two equivalent expressions. (Examples: and , ,

and .)

• Explain what this term means. (Equivalent expressions are equal no matter the value assigned
to the variable.)

• Describe ways to decide whether expressions are equivalent.

(Test some values, draw diagrams for different values, analyze them for properties of the
operations involved.)

Arrange students in groups of 2. Give 3 minutes of quiet work time and then invite students to
share their responses with their partner, followed by a whole-class discussion.

Student Task Statement

Select all the expressions that are equivalent to . Explain how you know each
expression you select is equivalent.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Student Response
is equivalent because of the distributive property. is equivalent because
multiplication is commutative.

Activity Synthesis
Select a student who tested values to explain how they know two expressions are not equivalent.
For example, is not equivalent to , because if we use 0 in place of , is 9
but is 14. If no one brings this up, demonstrate an example.

Select a student who used the term distributive property to explain why is equivalent to
to explain what they mean by that term. In general, an expression of the form is
equivalent to

3.2 Matching Equations to Tape Diagrams

15 minutes
In this activity, the tape diagrams and equations use the same numbers, so students must attend to
the meaning of the operations in the equations and to the structure of the tape diagrams.

58 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Look for students who have sensible ways to distinguish diagram A from diagram C, and also
diagram D from diagram E. These correspond to using categories to sort the equations like
“multiply by 2” vs. “multiply by 5.” Also look for students who categorize equations by “parentheses”
vs. “no parentheses.” These categories correspond to distinguishing A, B, and C from D and E.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4
Instructional Routines
• MLR2: Collect and Display
• Take Turns
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. Tell them that, in this activity, they will match some diagrams,
like the ones they saw in previous lessons, to corresponding equations. Then, they sort the list of
equations into categories of their choosing. When they sort the equations, they should work with
their partner to come up with categories, and then take turns sorting each equation into one of
their categories, explaining why they are doing so. If necessary, demonstrate this protocol before
students start working.

Give students 5 minutes to work with their partner followed by a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Demonstrate and encourage students to use color

coding and annotations to highlight connections between representations in a problem. For
example, use the same color to highlight the variable in the tape diagram to the same variable
in the matching equation. Give students time to compare their color coding and annotations
during their partner discussion.
Supports accessibility for: Visual-spatial processing

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking, Representing: MLR2 Collect and Display. As students explain how the equation matches
the diagram, listen for and collect students’ descriptions of the equation (e.g.,“two groups of
equal 19”). Display collected language next to the corresponding tape diagram and
equation for all to see. Invite students to borrow language from the displayed examples while
sorting into categories, after the matching is complete. This will help students make connection
between language, diagrams, and equations.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making; Maximize meta-awareness

Unit 6 Lesson 3 59
 Anticipated Misconceptions
If students don’t know where to begin, encourage them to describe the diagrams and equations in
words. For example, diagram E could be described “two groups of equal 19,” and so could the
equation

Student Task Statement

1. Match each equation to •

one of the tape diagrams.
Be prepared to explain
•
how the equation •
matches the diagram.
•
2. Sort the equations into •
categories of your •
choosing. Explain the
criteria for each category. •
•
•
Student Response
• B or A
•C
•D
•E
• A or B

60 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 •D
•E
•D
•C
For the second question, answers vary. Likely categories include:

• Equation contains parentheses vs. no parentheses

• 19 on the left side vs. the right side of the =
• Multiply by 2 vs. multiply by 5
Activity Synthesis
Select a student who used the categories “multiply by 2” vs. “multiply by 5” to share their
reasoning. Ask them to explain how we can see these categories in the corresponding diagrams.
How did they categorize which contains no multiplication?

Select a student to share their reasoning who used the categories “parentheses” vs. “no
parentheses.” Did they have any misgivings about ? It contains no parentheses, but
the corresponding diagram D also matches which has parentheses.

If students express uncertainty about , spend some time here. Some students are likely
to match it to exactly one diagram and some students match it to both A and B. The point isn’t that
one of these is right; it is to have the conversation about the idea of expressions or equations being
identical vs. equivalent. Equivalent expressions or equivalent equations can have different literal
interpretations, but when matching equations to tape diagrams, all that matters for the purposes of
solving is that the equations are equivalent.

3.3 Drawing Tape Diagrams to Represent Equations

10 minutes (there is a digital version of this activity)
This activity is parallel to one in the previous lesson, except that students are creating a tape
diagram after interpreting an equation rather than interpreting a story. The intention is for students
to reason in any way that makes sense to them about the equations and diagrams to figure out
the solution to each equation. Do not demonstrate any equation solving procedures yet.

For each equation, monitor for a student who used their diagram to reason about a solution and a
student who used the structure of the equation to reason about a solution.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3

Unit 6 Lesson 3 61
 Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4
Instructional Routines
• Anticipate, Monitor, Select, Sequence, Connect
• MLR1: Stronger and Clearer Each Time
Launch
Give students 5 minutes of quiet work time followed by a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Develop Language and Symbols. Display or provide charts with symbols and
meanings. For example, display a blank template of a tape diagram labeling the different parts
with generalizations for what content will go inside. In addition, consider using a previous
example situation or equation to make connections to the blank template.
Supports accessibility for: Conceptual processing; Memory

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking, Representing: MLR1 Stronger and Clearer Each Time. Use this routine to give students a
structured opportunity to refine their tape diagrams. Ask students to meet with 2–3 partners to
get feedback on their diagram of one or both equations. Listeners should press for details
from the equations (e.g., “Where is the ___ from the equation in your diagram?”). This will help
students use language to describe connections between the diagrams and the equations.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making

Student Task Statement

•
•
1. Draw a tape diagram to match each equation.

2. Use any method to find values for and that make the equations true.

Student Response

1.

62 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 2. and Strategies vary.

Are You Ready for More?

To make a Koch snowflake:

• Start with an equilateral triangle that has side lengths of 1. This is step 1.
• Replace the middle third of each line segment with a small equilateral triangle with the
middle third of the segment forming the base. This is step 2.

• Do the same to each of the line segments. This is step 3.

• Keep repeating this process.

1. What is the perimeter after step 2? Step 3?

2. What happens to the perimeter, or the length of line traced along the outside of the
figure, as the process continues?

Student Response
1. 4,

2. The perimeter increases as the process continues.

Activity Synthesis
For each equation, select a student who used their diagram to reason about a solution and a
student who used the structure of the equation to reason about a solution. Ask these students to
explain how they arrived at a solution. Display the diagram and the equation side by side as
students are explaining, and draw connections between the two representations.
Do not demonstrate any equation-solving procedures yet.

Unit 6 Lesson 3 63
 Lesson Synthesis
Display one or more tape diagrams students encountered or created during the lesson, along with
their corresponding equations. Ask, “What are some ways that tape diagrams represent equations?”
Responses to highlight:

• Multiplication in the equation is represented with multiple copies of the same piece in the
diagram.

• The total amount is shown in both the equation and the diagram.
• An unknown amount is represented with a variable.
• Either the equation or the diagram can be used to reason about a solution to the equation.

3.4 Three of These Equations Belong Together

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4
Student Task Statement
Here is a diagram.

1. Circle the equation that the diagram does not match.

◦
◦
◦
◦
2. Draw a diagram that matches the equation you circled.

Student Response
1. does not match.

2. Sample diagram:

64 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Lesson Summary
We have seen how tape diagrams represent relationships between quantities. Because of the
meaning and properties of addition and multiplication, more than one equation can often be
used to represent a single tape diagram.

Let’s take a look at two tape diagrams.

We can describe this diagram with several different equations. Here are some of them:

• , because the parts add up to the whole.

• , because addition is commutative.

• , because if two quantities are equal, it doesn’t matter how we arrange

them around the equal sign.

• , because one part (the part made up of 4 ’s) is the difference between the
whole and the other part.

For this diagram:

• , because multiplication means having multiple groups of the same size.

• , because multiplication is commutative.

• , because division tells us the size of each equal part.

Glossary
• equivalent expressions

Lesson 3 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
Solve each equation mentally.

a.

b.

c.

Unit 6 Lesson 3 65
 d.

Solution
a. 5

b. -7

c. 18

d. 14

(From Unit 5, Lesson 15.)

Problem 2
Statement
Complete the magic squares so that the sum of each row, each column, and each diagonal in
a grid are all equal.

Solution

(From Unit 5, Lesson 3.)

Problem 3
Statement
Draw a tape diagram to match each equation.

a.

66 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 b.

Solution
a. A diagram showing 5 equal parts of for a total of 20

b. A diagram showing 5 equal parts of and one part of 1 for a total of 20

Problem 4
Statement
Select all the equations that match the tape diagram.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

Solution
["A", "B", "D", "F"]

Problem 5
Statement
Each car is traveling at a constant speed. Find the number of miles each car travels in 1 hour
at the given rate.

a. 135 miles in 3 hours

b. 22 miles in hour

c. 7.5 miles in hour

d. miles in hour

e. miles in hour

Unit 6 Lesson 3 67
 Solution
a. 45 miles

b. 44 miles

c. 30 miles

d. 50 miles

e. 65 miles

(From Unit 4, Lesson 2.)

68 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 4: Reasoning about Equations and Tape
Diagrams (Part 1)
Goals
• Coordinate tape diagrams, equations of the form , and verbal descriptions of the
situations.

• Explain (orally and in writing) how to use a tape diagram to determine the value of an
unknown quantity in an equation of the form .

• Interpret (in writing) the solution to an equation in the context of the situation it represents.
Learning Targets
• I can draw a tape diagram to represent a situation where there is a known amount and several
copies of an unknown amount and explain what the parts of the diagram represent.

• I can find a solution to an equation by reasoning about a tape diagram or about what value
would make the equation true.

Lesson Narrative
The focus of this lesson is situations that lead to equations of the form Tape diagrams
are used to help students understand why these situations can be represented with equations of
this form, and to help them reason about solving equations of this form. Students also attend to the
meaning of the equation’s solution in the context (MP2). Note that we are not generalizing solution
methods yet; just using diagrams as a tool to reason about solving equations.

Alignments
Building On
• 6.EE.B.5: Understand solving an equation or inequality as a process of answering a question:
which values from a specified set, if any, make the equation or inequality true? Use
substitution to determine whether a given number in a specified set makes an equation or
inequality true.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3: Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with positive and
negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals), using tools
strategically. Apply properties of operations to calculate with numbers in any form; convert
between forms as appropriate; and assess the reasonableness of answers using mental
computation and estimation strategies. For example: If a woman making an hour gets a
raise, she will make an additional of her salary an hour, or , for a new salary of
. If you want to place a towel bar inches long in the center of a door that is
inches wide, you will need to place the bar about inches from each edge; this estimate can
be used as a check on the exact computation.

Unit 6 Lesson 4 69
 • 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Instructional Routines
• Algebra Talk
• MLR3: Clarify, Critique, Correct
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Student Learning Goals
Let’s see how tape diagrams can help us answer questions about unknown amounts in
stories.

4.1 Algebra Talk: Seeing Structure

Warm Up: 10 minutes
The purpose of this Algebra Talk is to elicit strategies and understandings students have for solving
equations. These understandings help students develop fluency and will be helpful later in this unit
when students will need to be able to come up with ways to solve equations of this form. While four
equations are given, it may not be possible to share every strategy. Consider gathering only two or
three different strategies per problem, saving most of the time for the final question.

Students should understand the meaning of solution to an equation from grade 6 work as well as
from work earlier in this unit, but this is a good opportunity to re-emphasize the idea.

In this string of equations, each equation has the same solution. Digging into why this is the case
requires noticing and using the structure of the equations (MP7). Noticing and using the structure
of an equation is an important part of fluency at solving equations.

Building On
• 6.EE.B.5

70 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• Algebra Talk
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Launch
Display one equation at a time. Give students 30 seconds of quiet think time for each equation and
ask them to give a signal when they have an answer and a strategy. Keep all equations displayed
throughout the talk. Follow with a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. To support working memory, provide students with

sticky notes or mini whiteboards.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Organization

Student Task Statement

Find a solution to each equation without writing anything down.

Student Response
• 4 is the solution because
• 4. Possible strategies: Trial and error to arrive at , noticing that the equation is 2
times something is 10, so the something must be a 5, applying the distributive property to get
, and reasoning from there.

•4
•4
is a solution to each equation because has to equal 5.

Unit 6 Lesson 4 71
 Activity Synthesis
Ask students to share their strategies for each problem. Record and display their responses for all
to see. To involve more students in the conversation, consider asking:

• “Who can restate ___’s reasoning in a different way?”

• “Did anyone have the same strategy but would explain it differently?”
• “Did anyone solve the equation in a different way?”
• “Does anyone want to add on to _____’s strategy?”
• “Do you agree or disagree? Why?”
An important idea to highlight is the meaning of a solution to an equation; a solution is a value that
makes the equation true.

For the second and third equations, some students may first think about applying the distributive
property before reasoning about the solution. As students see the third and fourth equations, they
are likely to notice commonalities among the equations that can support solving them. One likely
observation to highlight is that each equation has the same solution. It is worth asking why each
equation has the same solution. A satisfying answer to this question requires attending to the
structure of the equations.

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports.: Display sentence frames to support students when they
explain their strategy. For example, "First, I _____ because . . ." or "I noticed _____ so I . . . ." Some
students may benefit from the opportunity to rehearse what they will say with a partner before
they share with the whole class.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation)

4.2 Situations and Diagrams

15 minutes (there is a digital version of this activity)
The purpose of this activity is to work toward showing students that some situations can be
represented by an equation of the form (or equivalent). In this activity, students are
simply tasked with drawing a tape diagram to represent each situation. In the following activity,
they will work with corresponding equations.

The last question is tough to represent with a tape diagram, because you would have to divide the
diagram into 30 equal pieces. This is intentional, and can be used to make the point that we are
trying to develop more efficient ways of solving problems than drawing a diagram every time.

72 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 For each question, monitor for one student with a correct diagram. Press students to explain what
any variables used to label the diagram represent in the situation.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
Launch
Ensure students understand that the work of this task is to draw a tape diagram to represent each
situation. There is no requirement to write an equation or solve a problem yet.

Arrange students in groups of 2. Give 5–10 minutes to work individually or with their partner,
followed by a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Engagement: Internalize Self Regulation. Chunk this task into more manageable parts to
differentiate the degree of difficulty or complexity. Invite students to choose and respond to 3
out of the 5 situations. Require students to choose the last situation as it is different from the
others.
Supports accessibility for: Organization; Attention

Student Task Statement

Draw a tape diagram to represent each situation. For some of the situations, you need to
decide what to represent with a variable.

1. Diego has 7 packs of markers. Each pack has markers in it. After Lin gives him 9 more
markers, he has a total of 30 markers.

2. Elena is cutting a 30-foot piece of ribbon for a craft project. She cuts off 7 feet, and then
cuts the remaining piece into 9 equal lengths of feet each.

3. A construction manager weighs a bundle of 9 identical bricks and a 7-pound concrete

block. The bundle weighs 30 pounds.

Unit 6 Lesson 4 73
 4. A skating rink charges a group rate of $9 plus a fee to rent each pair of skates. A family
rents 7 pairs of skates and pays a total of $30.

5. Andre bakes 9 pans of brownies. He donates 7 pans to the school bake sale and
keeps the rest to divide equally among his class of 30 students.

Student Response
Answers vary. Sample responses are rectangles with the following features:

1. 7 same-sized boxes each marked , one box marked 9, bracket showing total is 30

2. 9 same-sized boxes each marked , one box marked 7, bracket showing total is 30

3. 9 same-sized boxes each marked , one box marked 7, bracket showing total is 30

4. 7 same-sized boxes each marked , one box marked 9, bracket showing total is 30

5. 30 same-sized boxes each marked (or one marked or equivalent), one box marked 7,
bracket showing total is 9

Activity Synthesis
Select one student for each situation to present their correct diagram. Ensure that students explain
the meaning of any variables used to label their diagram. Possible questions for discussion:

• “For the situations with no, how did you decide what quantity to represent with a variable?”
(Think about which amount is unknown but has a relationship to one or more other amounts
in the story.)

• “Did any situations have the same diagrams? How can you tell from the story that the
diagrams would be the same?” (Same number of equal parts, same amount for unequal parts,
same amount for the total.)

• “How is the last situation different from the others?” (It’s the only one where 30 is the
coefficient of rather than the total.)

• “Why was it tough to draw a diagram for the last question?” (You would have to divide the
diagram into 30 equal pieces.)

74 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Conversing, Representing: MLR7 Compare and Connect. Use this routine to support student
understanding of the connections between tape diagrams and the situations they represent.
Because all situations in this activity share the same quantities of 7, 9, and 30, students can
compare how each situation affects how quantities appear in a tape diagram. Invite students
to compare their diagrams with their partner. Display the following sentence frames: “One
thing our diagrams have in common is ….” and “One thing that is different about our diagrams
is …”. This routine will help students identify, explain, and verbally respond to correspondences
between context and mathematical representations.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for comparison); Cultivate conversation

4.3 Situations, Diagrams, and Equations

10 minutes
This activity is a continuation of the previous one. Students match each situation from the previous
activity with an equation, solve the equation by any method that makes sense to them, and
interpret the meaning of the solution. Students are still using any method that makes sense to
them to reason about a solution. In later lessons, a hanger diagram representation will be used to
justify more efficient methods for solving. For example, when they are using tape diagrams, they
could just say “I subtracted the 9 extra markers and then divided the remaining 21 markers by 7.”
Later, when working with hanger diagrams, we can press them to say “I can subtract 9 from each
side and then divide each side by 7.”

For each equation, monitor for a student using their diagram to reason about the solution and a
student using the structure of the equation to reason about the solution.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR3: Clarify, Critique, Correct
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. 5 minutes to work individually or with a partner, followed by a
whole-class discussion.

Unit 6 Lesson 4 75
 Support for Students with Disabilities

Engagement: Develop Effort and Persistence. Encourage and support opportunities for peer
interactions. Prior to the whole-class discussion, invite students to share their work with a
partner. Display sentence frames to support student conversation such as “To find the
solution, first I ____ because...”, “I made this match because I noticed...”, “Why did you...?”, or “I
agree/disagree because…”
Supports accessibility for: Language; Social-emotional skills

Student Task Statement

Each situation in the previous activity is represented by one of the equations.

• 1. Match each situation to an equation.

• 2. Find the solution to each equation. Use your diagrams to
• help you reason.
3. What does each solution tell you about its situation?

Student Response
1. ◦ : Situations 1 (markers) and 4 (skating rink)

◦ : Situations 2 (ribbons) and 3 (bricks)

◦ : Situation 5 (pans of brownies)

2. ◦ :3

◦ : or about 2.6

◦ :

3. a. There are 3 markers in each pack.

b. Each of the 9 pieces is about 2.6 feet long.

c. Each brick weighs about 2.6 pounds.

d. It costs $3 to rent a pair of skates.

e. Each student receives of a pan of brownies.

Are You Ready for More?

While in New York City, is it a better deal for a group of friends to take a taxi or the subway to
get from the Empire State Building to the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Explain your
reasoning.

76 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Response
Answers vary. Sample response: If there are 4 people in the group of friends, then they should take
the subway. The subway fare for 4 people is . The taxi fare is $2.5 initially and $2.5 for
each mile they drive. The distance between the 2 landmarks is 2.9 miles, so the total taxi fare is
. After paying a tip to the taxi driver, it costs more than the subway.

Activity Synthesis
For each equation, ask one student who reasoned with the diagram and one who reasoned only
about the equation to explain their solutions. Display the diagram and the equation side by side,
drawing connections between the two representations. If no students bring up one or both of these
approaches, demonstrate maneuvers on a diagram side by side with maneuvers on the
corresponding equation. For example, “I subtracted the 9 extra markers and then divided the
remaining 21 markers by 7,” can be shown on a tape diagram and on a corresponding equation. It is
not necessary to invoke the more abstract language of “doing the same thing to each side” of an
equation yet.

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking, Representing: MLR3 Clarify, Critique, Correct. Present an incorrect match of an equation
with a situation and/or diagram (e.g., with Situation 1). Invite students to clarify
and then critique the error (e.g., there are 7 packs of an unknown amount of markers in
Situation 1; not 9 as illustrated in the equation). Press for details, if needed. For example,
students can reference “markers” in Situation 1, not “x”, as the unknown value represent by the
variable . This will help students reflect on the quantity of the unknown values that would be a
reasonable solution and improve on their reasoning when matching an equation to a situation.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for justification)

Lesson Synthesis
Display one of the situations from the lesson and its corresponding equation. Ask students to
explain:

• “What does each number and letter in the equation represent in the situation?”
• “What is the reason for each operation (multiplication or addition) used in the equation?”
• “What is the solution to the equation? What does it mean to be a solution to an equation?
What does the solution represent in the situation?”

4.4 Finding Solutions

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3

Unit 6 Lesson 4 77
 • 7.EE.B.4.a
Student Task Statement
Here is a diagram and its corresponding equation. Find the solution to the equation and
explain your reasoning.

Student Response
. Explanations vary.

Student Lesson Summary

Many situations can be represented by equations. Writing an equation to represent a
situation can help us express how quantities in the situation are related to each other, and
can help us reason about unknown quantities whose value we want to know. Here are three
situations:

1. An architect is drafting plans for a new supermarket. There will be a space 144 inches
long for rows of nested shopping carts. The first cart is 34 inches long and each nested
cart adds another 10 inches. The architect want to know how many shopping carts will
fit in each row.

2. A bakery buys a large bag of sugar that has 34 cups. They use 10 cups to make some
cookies. Then they use the rest of the bag to make 144 giant muffins. Their
customers want to know how much sugar is in each muffin.

3. Kiran is trying to save $144 to buy a new guitar. He has $34 and is going to save $10 a
week from money he earns mowing lawns. He wants to know how many weeks it will
take him to have enough money to buy the guitar.

We see the same three numbers in the situations: 10, 34, and 144. How could we represent
each situation with an equation?

In the first situation, there is one shopping cart with length 34 and then an unknown number
of carts with length 10. Similarly, Kiran has 34 dollars saved and then will save 10 each week
for an unknown number of weeks. Both situations have one part of 34 and then equal parts
of size 10 that all add together to 144. Their equation is .

Since it takes 11 groups of 10 to get from 34 to 144, the value of in these two situations is
or 11. There will be 11 shopping carts in each row, and it will take Kiran 11
weeks to raise the money for the guitar.

78 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 In the bakery situation, there is one part of 10 and then 144 equal parts of unknown size that
all add together to 34. The equation is . Since 24 is needed to get from 10 to
34, the value of is or . There is cup of sugar in each giant muffin.

Lesson 4 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
Draw a square with side length 7 cm.

a. Predict the perimeter and the length of the diagonal of the square.

b. Measure the perimeter and the length of the diagonal of the square.

c. Describe how close the predictions and measurements are.

Solution
a. Perimeter: 28 cm. Length of diagonal: Approximately 9.9 cm.

b. Answers vary.

c. Answers vary.

(From Unit 3, Lesson 1.)

Problem 2
Statement
Find the products.

a.

b.

c.

d.

Solution
a. -9

b. 7.7

c. -36.5

d. 0.06

(From Unit 5, Lesson 9.)

Unit 6 Lesson 4 79
 Problem 3
Statement
Here are three stories:

◦ A family buys 6 tickets to a show. They also pay a $3 parking fee. They spend $27 to see
the show.

◦ Diego has 27 ounces of juice. He pours equal amounts for each of his 3 friends and has
6 ounces left for himself.

◦ Jada works for 6 hours preparing for the art fair. She spends 3 hours on a sculpture and
then paints 27 picture frames.

Here are three equations: a. Decide which equation represents each story. What does
represent in each equation?
◦ b. Find the solution to each equation. Explain or show your
◦ reasoning.
◦ c. What does each solution tell you about its situation?

Solution
a. Tickets to the show: , represents the cost of a ticket. Diego’s juice: ,
represents the number of ounces of juice he gave each friend. The art fair: ,
represents the number of hours spent on each picture frame.

b. : . : . : . Explanations vary.

c. Each ticket to the show cost $4. Diego gave each friend 7 ounces of juice. Jada spent of an
hour painting each picture frame.

Problem 4
Statement
Here is a diagram and its corresponding equation. Find the solution to the equation and
explain your reasoning.

80 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution
(or equivalent). Explanations vary.

Problem 5
Statement
a. Plot these points on the coordinate plane:

b. What is the vertical difference between and ?

c. Write an expression that represents the vertical distance between and .

Solution
a.

Unit 6 Lesson 4 81
 b. The vertical difference between and is -4 units.

c. An expression for the vertical distance between and is .

(From Unit 5, Lesson 7.)

82 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 5: Reasoning about Equations and Tape
Diagrams (Part 2)
Goals
• Coordinate tape diagrams, equations of the form , and verbal descriptions of the
situations.

• Explain (orally and in writing) how to use a tape diagram to determine the value of an
unknown quantity in an equation of the form .

• Interpret (in writing) the solution to an equation in the context of the situation it represents.
Learning Targets
• I can draw a tape diagram to represent a situation where there is more than one copy of the
same sum and explain what the parts of the diagram represent.

• I can find a solution to an equation by reasoning about a tape diagram or about what value
would make the equation true.

Lesson Narrative
This lesson parallels the previous one, except the focus is on situations that lead to equations of the
form Tape diagrams are used to help students understand why these situations can
be represented with equations of this form, and to help them reason about solving equations of
this form. Students also attend to the meaning of the equation’s solution in the context (MP2). Note
that we are not generalizing solution methods yet; just using diagrams as a tool to reason about
solving equations.

Alignments
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3: Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with positive and
negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals), using tools
strategically. Apply properties of operations to calculate with numbers in any form; convert
between forms as appropriate; and assess the reasonableness of answers using mental
computation and estimation strategies. For example: If a woman making an hour gets a
raise, she will make an additional of her salary an hour, or , for a new salary of
. If you want to place a towel bar inches long in the center of a door that is
inches wide, you will need to place the bar about inches from each edge; this estimate can
be used as a check on the exact computation.

• 7.EE.B.4: Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and

construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the
quantities.

Unit 6 Lesson 5 83
 • 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Instructional Routines
• Algebra Talk
• MLR1: Stronger and Clearer Each Time
• MLR2: Collect and Display
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Student Learning Goals
Let’s use tape diagrams to help answer questions about situations where the equation has
parentheses.

5.1 Algebra Talk: Seeing Structure

Warm Up: 10 minutes
This warm-up parallels the one in the previous lesson. The purpose of this Algebra Talk is to elicit
strategies and understandings students have for solving equations. These understandings help
students develop fluency and will be helpful later in this unit when students will need to be able to
come up with ways to solve equations of this form. While four equations are given, it may not be
possible to share every strategy. Consider gathering only two or three different strategies per
problem, saving most of the time for the final question.

Students should understand the meaning of solution to an equation from grade 6 work as well as
from work earlier in this unit, but this is a good opportunity to re-emphasize the idea.

In this string of equations, each equation has the same solution. Digging into why this is the case
requires noticing and using the structure of the equations (MP7). Noticing and using the structure
of an equation is an important part of fluency in solving equations.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4

84 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 • 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• Algebra Talk
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Launch
Display one equation at a time. Give students 30 seconds of quiet think time for each equation and
ask them to give a signal when they have an answer and a strategy. Keep all equations displayed
throughout the talk. Follow with a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. To support working memory, provide students with

sticky notes or mini whiteboards.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Organization

Student Task Statement

Solve each equation mentally.

Student Response
• 6 is the solution because .

• 6. Possible strategies: Trial and error to arrive at , noticing that the equation is 2
times something is 10, so the something must be a 5, applying the distributive property to get
, and reasoning from there.

•6
•6
is a solution to each equation because in each one, has to equal 5.

Activity Synthesis
This discussion may go quickly, because students are likely to recognize similarities between this
equation string and the one in the previous day’s warm-up.

Unit 6 Lesson 5 85
 Ask students to share their strategies for each problem. Record and display their responses for all
to see. To involve more students in the conversation, consider asking:

• “Who can restate ___’s reasoning in a different way?”

• “Did anyone have the same strategy but would explain it differently?”
• “Did anyone solve the equation in a different way?”
• “Does anyone want to add on to _____’s strategy?”
• “Do you agree or disagree? Why?”

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports.: Display sentence frames to support students when they
explain their strategy. For example, "First, I _____ because . . ." or "I noticed _____ so I . . . ." Some
students may benefit from the opportunity to rehearse what they will say with a partner before
they share with the whole class.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation)

5.2 More Situations and Diagrams

15 minutes (there is a digital version of this activity)
The purpose of this activity is to work toward showing students that some situations can be
represented by an equation of the form (or equivalent). In this activity, students are
simply tasked with drawing a tape diagram to represent each situation. In the following activity,
they will work with corresponding equations.

For each question, monitor for one student with a correct diagram. Press students to explain what
any variables used to label the diagram represent in the situation.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR1: Stronger and Clearer Each Time
Launch
Ensure students understand that the work of this task is to draw a tape diagram to represent each
situation. There is no requirement to write an equation or solve a problem yet.

Arrange students in groups of 2. Give 5–10 minutes to work individually or with their partner,
followed by a whole-class discussion.

86 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Develop Expression and Communication. Maintain a display of important
terms, vocabulary, and examples. During the launch, take time to review examples of drawing
a tape diagram based on situations from previous lessons that students will need to access for
this activity. Consider providing step-by-step directions that generalize the process using
student input and ideas.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Language

Student Task Statement

Draw a tape diagram to represent each situation. For some of the situations, you need to
decide what to represent with a variable.

1. Each of 5 gift bags contains pencils. Tyler adds 3 more pencils to each bag. Altogether,
the gift bags contain 20 pencils.

2. Noah drew an equilateral triangle with sides of length 5 inches. He wants to increase the
length of each side by inches so the triangle is still equilateral and has a perimeter of
20 inches.

3. An art class charges each student $3 to attend plus a fee for supplies. Today, $20 was
collected for the 5 students attending the class.

4. Elena ran 20 miles this week, which was three times as far as Clare ran this week. Clare
ran 5 more miles this week than she did last week.

Student Response
Answers vary. Sample diagrams:

Diagram A corresponds to situations 1 and 3. Diagram B corresponds to situations 2 and 4.

Activity Synthesis
Select one student for each situation to present their correct diagram. Ensure that students explain
the meaning of any variables used to label their diagram. Possible questions for discussion:

• “For the situations with no

, how did you decide what quantity to represent with variable?”
(Think about which amount is unknown but has a relationship to one or more other amounts
in the story.)

Unit 6 Lesson 5 87
 • “What does the variable you used to label the diagram represent in the story?”
• “Did any situations have the same diagrams? How can you tell from the story that the
diagrams would be the same?” (Same number of equal parts, same amount for the total.)

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking, Representing, Reading: MLR1 Stronger and Clearer Each Time. Ask students to explain to a
partner how they created the tape diagram to represent the situation “An art class charges
each student $3 to attend plus a fee for supplies. Today, $20 was collected for the 5 students
attending the class.” Ask listeners to press for details in the arrangement of the grouped
quantities (e.g., “Explain how you chose what values go in each box.”). When roles are switched,
listeners can press for details in what “ ” represents in the diagram. Allow students to revise
their diagrams, if necessary, based on the feedback they received from their partner. Once
their revision is complete, invite students to turn to a new partner to explain their revised
diagram. This will help students productively engage in discussion as they make connections
between written situations and visual diagrams.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation); Cultivate conversation

5.3 More Situations, Diagrams, and Equations

10 minutes
This activity is a continuation of the previous one. Students match each situation from the previous
activity with an equation, solve the equation by any method that makes sense to them, and
interpret the meaning of the solution. Students are still using any method that makes sense to
them to reason about a solution. In later lessons, a hanger diagram representation will be used to
justify more efficient methods for solving.

For each equation, monitor for a student using their diagram to reason about the solution and a
student using the structure of the equation to reason about the solution.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR2: Collect and Display
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. 5 minutes to work individually or with a partner, followed by a
whole-class discussion.

88 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Engagement: Develop Effort and Persistence. Encourage and support opportunities for peer
interactions. Prior to the whole-class discussion, invite students to share their work with a
partner. Display sentence frames to support student conversation such as “To find the
solution, first, I _____ because...”, “I made this match because I noticed...”, “Why did you...?”, or “I
agree/disagree because…”
Supports accessibility for: Language; Social-emotional skills

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking, Representing: MLR2 Collect and Display. As students share their ideas about how the
equations match the situations, listen for and collect students’ description of the situation (e.g.,
“5 gift bags, pencils, adds 3 more, 20 pencils”) with the corresponding equation. Remind
students to borrow language from the displayed examples while describing what each solution
tells about the situation, after the matching is complete. This will help students make
connection between language, diagrams, and equations.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making; Maximize meta-awareness

Student Task Statement

Each situation in the previous activity is represented by one of the equations.

•
•
1. Match each situation to an equation.
2. Find the solution to each equation. Use your diagrams to help you reason.
3. What does each solution tell you about its situation?

Student Response
1. ◦ : Situations 1 (gift bags) and 3 (art class)

◦ : Situations 2 (triangle perimeter) and 4 (miles run)

2. ◦ :

◦ :

3. a. There was originally one pencil in each bag.

b. Noah increased the length of each side by inches.

Unit 6 Lesson 5 89
 c. The fee for supplies is $1.

d. Clare ran miles last week.

Are You Ready for More?

Han, his sister, his dad, and his grandmother step onto a crowded bus with only 3 open seats
for a 42-minute ride. They decide Han’s grandmother should sit for the entire ride. Han, his
sister, and his dad take turns sitting in the remaining two seats, and Han’s dad sits 1.5 times
as long as both Han and his sister. How many minutes did each one spend sitting?

Student Response
Han’s grandmother: 42, Han’s dad: 36, Han: 24, Han’s sister: 24

Activity Synthesis
For each equation, ask one student who reasoned with the diagram and one who reasoned only
about the equation to explain their solutions. Display the diagram and the equation side by side,
drawing connections between the two representations. If no students bring up one or both of these
approaches, demonstrate the maneuvers on a diagram side by side with the maneuvers on the
corresponding equation. For example, “I divided the number of gift bags by 5, leaving me with 4
pencils per gift bag. Since Tyler added 3 pencils to each gift bag, there must have been 1 pencil in
each gift bag to start,” can be shown on a tape diagram and on a corresponding equation. It is not
necessary to invoke the more abstract language of “doing the same thing to each side” of an
equation yet.

Lesson Synthesis
Display one of the situations from the lesson and its corresponding equation. Ask students to
explain:

• “What does each number and letter in the equation represent in the situation?”
• “What is the reason for each operation (multiplication or addition) used in the equation?”
• “What is the solution to the equation? What does it mean to be a solution to an equation?
What does the solution represent in the situation?”

5.4 More Finding Solutions

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a

90 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Task Statement
Here is a diagram and its corresponding equation. Find the solution to the equation and
explain your reasoning.

Student Response
. Sample reasoning: the tape diagram is in 4 equal pieces, each of which represents (or
). so must be .

Student Lesson Summary

Equations with parentheses can represent a variety of situations.

1. Lin volunteers at a hospital and is preparing toy baskets for children who are patients.
She adds 2 items to each basket, after which the supervisor’s list shows that 140 toys
have been packed into a group of 10 baskets. Lin wants to know how many toys were in
each basket before she added the items.

2. A large store has the same number of workers on each of 2 teams to handle different
shifts. They decide to add 10 workers to each team, bringing the total number of
workers to 140. An executive at the company that runs this chain of stores wants to
know how many employees were in each team before the increase.

Each bag in the first story has an unknown number of toys, , that is increased by 2. Then ten
groups of give a total of 140 toys. An equation representing this situation is
. Since 10 times a number is 140, that number is 14, which is the total
number of items in each bag. Before Lin added the 2 items there were or 12 toys in
each bag.

The executive in the second story knows that the size of each team of employees has been
increased by 10. There are now 2 teams of each. An equation representing this
situation is . Since 2 times an amount is 140, that amount is 70, which is the
new size of each team. The value of is or 60. There were 60 employees on each
team before the increase.

Lesson 5 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
Here are some prices customers paid for different items at a farmer’s market. Find the cost
for 1 pound of each item.

Unit 6 Lesson 5 91
 a. $5 for 4 pounds of apples

b. $3.50 for pound of cheese

c. $8.25 for pounds of coffee beans

d. $6.75 for pounds of fudge

e. $5.50 for a pound pumpkin

Solution
a. $1.25

b. $7

c. $5.50

d. $9

e. $0.88

(From Unit 4, Lesson 2.)

Problem 2
Statement
Find the products.

a.

b.

c.

d.

Solution
a.

b. -1

c. -2

d. or equivalent

(From Unit 5, Lesson 9.)

92 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Problem 3
Statement
Here are two stories:

◦ A family buys 6 tickets to a show. They

also each spend $3 on a snack. They
spend $24 on the show.

◦ Diego has 24 ounces of juice. He pours

equal amounts for each of his 3 friends,
and then adds 6 more ounces for each.

Here are two equations: a. Which equation represents which story?

b. What does represent in each equation?
◦
c. Find the solution to each equation. Explain or show your
◦ reasoning.
d. What does each solution tell you about its situation?

Solution
a. Family at the show: , Diego’s juice:

b. Family at the show: represents the cost of a ticket. Diego's juice: represents the number of
ounces of juice Diego originally poured for each friend.

c. : , :

d. Tickets to the show cost $1. Diego originally poured 2 ounces of juice.

Problem 4
Statement
Here is a diagram and its corresponding equation. Find the solution to the equation and
explain your reasoning.

Solution
3. Sample response: in the tape diagram, there are six units of that make 24, so must be
, which is 4. Since , .

Unit 6 Lesson 5 93
 Problem 5
Statement
Below is a set of data about temperatures. The range of a set of data is the distance between
the lowest and highest value in the set. What is the range of these temperatures?

Solution
27

(From Unit 5, Lesson 7.)

Problem 6
Statement
A store is having a 25% off sale on all shirts. Show two different ways to calculate the sale
price for a shirt that normally costs $24.

Solution
Answers vary. Possible strategies:

◦ , and (find 25% of $24 and subtract this from $24)

◦ , and (find 75% of $24)

◦ , and (find 25% of $24 and multiply this by 3)

(From Unit 4, Lesson 11.)

94 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 6: Distinguishing between Two Types of
Situations
Goals
• Categorize equations of the forms and , and describe (orally) the
categories.

• Interpret a verbal description of a situation (in written language), and write an equation of the
form or to represent it.

Learning Targets
• I understand the similarities and differences between the two main types of equations we are
studying in this unit.

• When I have a situation or a tape diagram, I can represent it with an equation.

Lesson Narrative
The purpose of this lesson is to distinguish equations of the form and .
Corresponding tape diagrams are used as tools in this work, along with situations that these
equations can represent. First, students sort equations into categories of their choosing. The main
categories to highlight distinguish between the two main types of equations being studied. Then,
students consider two stories and corresponding diagrams and write equations to represent them.
They use these representations to find an unknown value in the story.

Alignments
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3: Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with positive and
negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals), using tools
strategically. Apply properties of operations to calculate with numbers in any form; convert
between forms as appropriate; and assess the reasonableness of answers using mental
computation and estimation strategies. For example: If a woman making an hour gets a
raise, she will make an additional of her salary an hour, or , for a new salary of
. If you want to place a towel bar inches long in the center of a door that is
inches wide, you will need to place the bar about inches from each edge; this estimate can
be used as a check on the exact computation.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Unit 6 Lesson 6 95
 Instructional Routines
• MLR6: Three Reads
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Take Turns
• Think Pair Share
• Which One Doesn’t Belong?
Required Materials
Pre-printed slips, cut from copies of the blackline master

Required Preparation
Print and cut up copies of the blackline master ahead of time. You will need 1 set for every 2
students. If possible, copy each complete set on a different color of paper, so that a stray slip can
quickly be put back.

Student Learning Goals

Let’s think about equations with and without parentheses and the kinds of situations they
describe.

6.1 Which One Doesn’t Belong: Seeing Structure

Warm Up: 5 minutes
This warm-up prompts students to compare four equations. It encourages students to explain their
reasoning, hold mathematical conversations, and gives you the opportunity to hear how they use
terminology and talk about characteristics of the equations in comparison to one another. To allow
all students to access the activity, each equation has one obvious reason it does not belong.
Encourage students to find reasons based on the structure of the equation (MP7). During the
discussion, listen for important ideas and terminology.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• Which One Doesn’t Belong?
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2–4. Display the equations for all to see. Ask students to indicate
when they have noticed one that does not belong and can explain why. Give students 1 minute of
quiet think time and then time to share their thinking with their group. In their groups, tell each
student to share their reasoning about why a particular question does not belong, and
together, find at least one reason each question doesn’t belong.

96 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Task Statement
Which equation doesn’t belong?

Student Response
1. (only one with a side that is only the product of two expressions)

2. (only one that uses a dot instead of next-to for multiplication)

3. (only one not equivalent to the others, possibly notice it's the only one with a
positive solution)

4. (only one with only a number on the left side)

Activity Synthesis
Ask each group to share one reason why a particular equation does not belong. Record and display
the responses for all to see. After each response, ask the class whether they agree or disagree.
Since there is no single correct answer to the question asking which one does not belong, attend to
students’ explanations and ensure the reasons given are correct. During the discussion, ask
students to explain the meaning of any terminology they use, such as coefficient or solution. Also,
press students on unsubstantiated claims.

6.2 Card Sort: Categories of Equations

15 minutes
The goal of this activity is for students to notice the structure of equations. Any way of sorting is
fine, but the discussion should land on explaining how equations involving an expression like
are different from ones that have an expression like . Monitor for different ways
groups choose to categorize the equations, but especially for categories that distinguish between
these two types of expressions. As students work, encourage them to refine their descriptions of
equations using more precise language and mathematical terms (MP6).

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Take Turns
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Tell them that in this activity, they will sort some cards into
categories of their choosing. When they sort the equations, they should work with their partner to

Unit 6 Lesson 6 97
 come up with categories, and then take turns sorting each equation into one of their categories,
explaining why they are doing so. If necessary, demonstrate this protocol before students start
working.

Distribute one set of cards to each group of students. Give students 5 minutes to work with their
partner, followed by a whole-class discussion.

Student Task Statement

Your teacher will give you a set of cards that show equations. Sort the cards into 2 categories
of your choosing. Be prepared to explain the meaning of your categories. Then, sort the cards
into 2 categories in a different way. Be prepared to explain the meaning of your new
categories.
Student Response
Categories vary.

Activity Synthesis
Select groups of students to share their categories and how they sorted their equations. You can
choose as many different types of categories as time allows, but ensure that one set of categories
distinguishes between equations that involved expressions of the form vs . Attend to
the language that students use to describe their categories and equations, giving them
opportunities to describe their equations more precisely. Highlight the use of terms like coefficient,
sum, product, variable, and solution.

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports. Use this routine to support whole-class discussion when
students share the categories they created to sort their equations. After groups describe the
set of categories that distinguish between equations that involved expressions of the form
vs. , call on students to restate and/or revoice their peers' descriptions using
mathematical terms (e.g., coefficient, sum, product, variable, and solution.). This will provide more
students with an opportunity to produce language that describes the form and structure of the
two equations.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making; Maximize meta-awareness

6.3 Even More Situations, Diagrams, and Equations

15 minutes
This activity is an opportunity to put together the learning of the past several lessons:
correspondences between tape diagrams, equations, and stories, and using representations to
reason about a solution. The focus of this activity is still contrasting the two main types of equations
that students encounter in this unit.

98 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR6: Three Reads
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. 5 minutes of quiet work time followed by sharing with a partner
and a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Provide appropriate reading accommodations and

supports to ensure students access to written directions, word problems, and other text-based
content.
Supports accessibility for: Language; Conceptual processing

Support for English Language Learners

Reading, Representing: MLR6 Three Reads. Use this routine with the first story to support
students’ understanding of the situation and how to represent it with a tape diagram or
equation. Use the first read to orient students to the situation (Lin and volunteers are hanging
flyers at school). Use the second read to identify the important quantities (number of
volunteers, number of flyers each). After the third read, ask students to brainstorm how the
situation can be represented in a tape diagram or equation. This will help students make
connections between equations and diagrams and understand the language of a situation that
will distinguish which form of and equation would be an appropriate representation.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making; Maximize meta-awareness

Student Task Statement

Unit 6 Lesson 6 99
 Story 1: Lin had 90 flyers to hang up around the school. She gave 12 flyers to each of three
volunteers. Then she took the remaining flyers and divided them up equally between the
three volunteers.

Story 2: Lin had 90 flyers to hang up around the school. After giving the same number of
flyers to each of three volunteers, she had 12 left to hang up by herself.

1. Which diagram goes with which story? Be prepared to explain your reasoning.

2. In each diagram, what part of the story does the variable represent?

3. Write an equation corresponding to each story. If you get stuck, use the diagram.

4. Find the value of the variable in the story.

Student Response
1. Diagram A goes with story 2 and diagram B goes with story 1.

2. In diagram A, represents the number of flyers she gave to each volunteer. In diagram B,
represents the remaining flyers she gave to each volunteer (after giving each of them 12 to
start).

3. Story 1: or equivalent. Story 2: or equivalent.

4. Story 1: . Story 2: .

Are You Ready for More?

A tutor is starting a business. In the first year, they start with 5 clients and charge $10 per
week for an hour of tutoring with each client. For each year following, they double the
number of clients and the number of hours each week. Each new client will be charged 150%
of the charges of the clients from the previous year.

1. Organize the weekly earnings for each year in a table.

2. Assuming a full-time week is 40 hours per week, how many years will it take to reach full
time and how many new clients will be taken on that year?

3. After reaching full time, what is the tutor’s annual salary if they take 2 weeks of
vacation?

4. Is there another business model you’d recommend for the tutor? Explain your
reasoning.

100 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Response

Weekly Rate
Year Existing Charges ( ) Rate on New Clients ( ) New Clients ( )
( )
1.
1 0 10 5 50

2 50 15 10 200

3 200 22.5 20 700

4 700 33.75 5 868.75

2. 4 years, 5 clients

3. 43,437.50

4. Answers vary. Sample response: The tutor could raise rates on existing clients by a little bit
each year.

Activity Synthesis
For each story, select 1 or more groups to present the matching diagram, their equation, and their
solution method. Possible questions to ask:

• “How were the diagrams alike? How were they different?” (They have the same numbers and a
letter. One has 3 equal groups and an extra bit, the other just has 3 equal groups, but each
group is a sum.)

• “How were the stories alike? How were they different?” (They were both about distributing 90
flyers. In one story, Lin makes a series of moves to each volunteer. In the other story, she gives
each volunteer the same amount, but then there are some left over.)

• “What parts of the story made you think that one diagram represented it?”
• “Explain how you reasoned about the story, diagram, or equation to find the value of the
variable.”

Lesson Synthesis
Display the two equations from the last activity for all to see:

Tell students, “These equations have lots of things in common. They each have a 3, a letter, a 12, a
90, an equal sign, multiplication, and addition. Explain how these equations are different.” Ask

Unit 6 Lesson 6 101

 students to think about this question quietly for a moment and share with a partner, then ask a few
students to share with the whole class.

Highlight any responses that speak in general terms about the structure of the equations. For
example, one equation is the sum of a product and a number and the other is the product of a
number and a sum. Alternatively, if we evaluated one expression for a value of the variable, we
would multiply it by 3 first and then add 12. For the other, we would add 12 first and then multiply
by 3. One has three equal groups and an extra bit, and the other just has 3 equal groups, but the
groups are each the result of adding 12 to an unknown.

6.4 After School Tutoring

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Student Task Statement
Write an equation for each story. Then, find the number of problems originally assigned by
each teacher. If you get stuck, try drawing a diagram to represent the story.

1. Five students came for after-school tutoring. Lin’s teacher assigned each of them the
same number of problems to complete. Then he assigned each student 2 more
problems. 30 problems were assigned in all.

2. Five students came for after-school tutoring. Priya’s teacher assigned each of them the
same number of problems to complete. Then she assigned 2 more problems to one of
the students. 27 problems were assigned in all.

Student Response
1. (or equivalent), solution: 4

2. (or equivalent), solution: 5

Student Lesson Summary

In this unit, we encounter two main types of situations that can be represented with an
equation. Here is an example of each type:

102 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 1. After adding 8 students to each of 6 same-sized teams, there were 72 students
altogether.

2. After adding an 8-pound box of tennis rackets to a crate with 6 identical boxes of ping
pong paddles, the crate weighed 72 pounds.

The first situation has all equal parts, since additions are made to each team. An equation that
represents this situation is , where represents the original number of students
on each team. Eight students were added to each group, there are 6 groups, and there are a
total of 72 students.

In the second situation, there are 6 equal parts added to one other part. An equation that
represents this situation is , where represents the weight of a box of ping pong
paddles, there are 6 boxes of ping pong paddles, there is an additional box that weighs 8
pounds, and the crate weighs 72 pounds altogether.

In the first situation, there were 6 equal groups, and 8 students added to each group.
.

In the second situation, there were 6 equal groups, but 8 more pounds in addition to that.
.

Lesson 6 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
A school ordered 3 large boxes of board markers. After giving 15 markers to each of 3
teachers, there were 90 markers left. The diagram represents the situation. How many
markers were originally in each box?

Solution
45

(From Unit 6, Lesson 2.)

Problem 2
Statement
The diagram can be represented by the equation . Explain where you can see the
6 in the diagram.

Unit 6 Lesson 6 103

 Solution
There are 6 equal parts labeled .

(From Unit 6, Lesson 3.)

Problem 3
Statement
Match each equation to a story. (Two of the stories match the same equation.)

a. a. Jada’s teacher fills a travel bag with 5 copies of a

textbook. The weight of the bag and books is 17 pounds.
b.
The empty travel bag weighs 3 pounds. How much does
c. each book weigh?

d. b. A piece of scenery for the school play is in the shape of a

5-foot-long rectangle. The designer decides to increase
the length. There will be 3 identical rectangles with a
total length of 17 feet. By how much did the designer
increase the length of each rectangle?

c. Elena spends $17 and buys a $3 book and a bookmark

for each of her 5 cousins. How much does each
bookmark cost?

d. Noah packs up bags at the food pantry to deliver to

families. He packs 5 bags that weigh a total of 17
pounds. Each bag contains 3 pounds of groceries and a
packet of papers with health-related information. How
much does each packet of papers weigh?

e. Andre has 3 times as many pencils as Noah and 5 pens.

He has 17 pens and pencils all together. How many
pencils does Noah have?

Solution
a. D

b. A

c. C

d. C

104 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 e. B

Problem 4
Statement
Elena walked 20 minutes more than Lin. Jada walked twice as long as Elena. Jada walked for
90 minutes. The equation describes this situation. Match each expression
with the statement in the story with the expression it represents.

A. 1. The number of minutes that Jada walked

B. 2. The number of minutes that Elena

walked
C.
3. The number of minutes that Lin walked
D. 90

Solution
◦ A: 3
◦ B: 2
◦ C: 1
◦ D: 1

Unit 6 Lesson 6 105

 Lesson 7: Reasoning about Solving Equations (Part
1)
Goals
• Compare and contrast (orally) different strategies for solving an equation of the form
.

• Explain (orally and in writing) how to use a balanced hanger diagram to solve an equation of
the form .

• Interpret a balanced hanger diagram, and write an equation of the form to

represent the relationship shown.

Learning Targets
• I can explain how a balanced hanger and an equation represent the same situation.
• I can find an unknown weight on a hanger diagram and solve an equation that represents the
diagram.

• I can write an equation that describes the weights on a balanced hanger.

Lesson Narrative
The goal of this lesson is for students to understand that we can generally approach equations of
the form by subtracting from each side and dividing each side by (or multiplying by
). Students only work with examples where , , and are specific numbers, not represented by
letters. This is accomplished by considering what can be done to a hanger to keep it balanced.

Students are solving equations in this lesson in a different way than they did in the previous
lessons. They are reasoning about things one could “do” to hangers while keeping them balanced
alongside an equation that represents a hanger, so they are thinking about “doing” things to each
side of an equation, rather than simply thinking “what value would make this equation true” or
reasoning with situations or diagrams.

Alignments
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

106 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Notice and Wonder
• Think Pair Share
Student Learning Goals
Let’s see how a balanced hanger is like an equation and how moving its weights is like solving
the equation.

7.1 Hanger Diagrams

Warm Up: 10 minutes
Students encounter and reason about a concrete situation, hangers with equal and unequal
weights on each side. They then see diagrams of balanced and unbalanced hangers and think about
what must be true and false about the situations. In subsequent activities, students will use the
hanger diagrams to develop general strategies for solving equations.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• Notice and Wonder
Launch
Display the photo of socks and ask students, “What do you notice? What do you wonder?”

Unit 6 Lesson 7 107

 Give students 1 minute to think about the picture. Record their responses for all to see.

Things students may notice:

• There are two pink socks and two blue socks.

• The socks are clipped to either ends of two clothes hangers. The hangers are hanging from a
rod.

• The hanger holding the pink socks is level; the hanger holding the blue socks is not level.
Things students may wonder:

• Why is the hanger holding the blue socks not level?

• Is something inside one of the blue socks to make it heavier than the other sock?
• What does this picture have to do with math?
Use the word “balanced” to describe the hanger on the left and “unbalanced” to describe the
hanger on the right. Tell students that the hanger on the left is balanced because the two pink socks
have an equal weight, and the hanger on the right is unbalanced because one blue sock is heavier
than the other. Tell students that they will look at a diagram that is like the photo of socks, except
with more abstract shapes, and they will reason about the weights of the shapes.

Give students 3 minutes of quiet work time followed by a whole-class discussion.

Student Task Statement

In the two diagrams, all the triangles weigh the same and all the squares weigh the same.

For each diagram, come up with . . .

108 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 1. One thing that must be true

2. One thing that could be true

3. One thing that cannot possibly be true

Student Response
Answers vary. Possible responses:

1. Triangle is heavier than square; 1 triangle weighs same as 3 squares and a circle.

2. Triangle weighs 32 ounces, square weighs 10 ounces, and circle weighs 2 ounces.

3. Triangle and square weigh the same.

Activity Synthesis
Ask students to share some things that must be true, could be true, and cannot possibly be true
about the diagrams. Ask them to explain their reasoning. The purpose of this discussion is to
understand how the hanger diagrams work. When the diagram is balanced, there is equal weight
on each side. For example, since diagram B is balanced, we know that one triangle weighs the same
as three squares. When the diagram is unbalanced, one side is heavier than the other. For example,
since diagram A is unbalanced, we know that one triangle is heavier than one square.

7.2 Hanger and Equation Matching

15 minutes
Students are presented with four hanger diagrams and are asked to match an equation to each
hanger. They analyze relationships and find correspondences between the two representations.
Then students use the diagrams and equations to find the unknown value in each diagram. This
value is a solution of the equation.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a

Unit 6 Lesson 7 109

 Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Display the diagrams and explain that each square labeled with a 1 weighs 1 unit, and each shape
labeled with a letter has an unknown weight. Shapes labeled with the same letter have the same
weight.

Arrange students in groups of 2. Give 5–10 minutes of quiet work time and time to share their
responses with a partner, followed by a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Demonstrate and encourage students to use color

coding and annotations to highlight connections between representations in a problem. For
example, use the same color to highlight the variables in the hanger with the same variables in
its corresponding equation.
Supports accessibility for: Visual-spatial processing

Student Task Statement

On each balanced hanger, figures with the same letter have the same weight.

1. Match each hanger to an equation. Complete the equation by writing , , , or in the

empty box.

◦
◦
◦
◦

2. Find the solution to each equation. Use the hanger to explain what the solution means.

110 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Response
1. a.

b.

c.

d.

2. a. , because 1 circle weighs the same as 2 squares.

b. , because 1 triangle weighs the same as 1 square.

c. , because 3 pentagons weigh the same as 1 square.

d. , because 2 crowns weigh the same as 3 squares.

Activity Synthesis
Demonstrate one of the hangers alongside its equation, removing the same number from each
side, and then dividing each side by the same thing. Show how these moves correspond to doing
the same thing to each side of the equation. (See the student lesson summary for an example of
this.)

Unit 6 Lesson 7 111

 Support for English Language Learners

Representing, Speaking: MLR7 Compare and Connect. After students have discussed what the
solutions to the four equations mean, invite students to compare approaches to finding
unknown values through different representations (e.g., visual hanger, equation). Help
students make connections between the representations by asking questions such as, “Where
do you see division in both the hanger diagram and the equation?” This will help students
reason about the ways to find unknown values in balanced hangers and to explain the
meaning of a solution to an equation.
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness; Cultivate conversation

7.3 Use Hangers to Understand Equation Solving

15 minutes
This activity continues the work of using a balanced hanger to develop strategies for solving
equations. Students are presented with balanced hangers and are asked to write equations that
represent them. They are then asked to explain how to use the diagrams, and then the equations,
to reason about a solution. Students notice the structure of equations and diagrams and find
correspondences between them and between solution strategies.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Draw students’ attention to the diagrams in the task statement. Ensure they notice that the hangers
are balanced and that each object is labeled with its weight. Some weights are labeled with
numbers but some are unknown, so they are labeled with a variable.

Keep students in the same groups. Give 5–10 minutes of quiet work time and time to share their
responses with a partner, followed by a whole-class discussion.

Student Task Statement

Here are some balanced hangers where each piece is labeled with its weight. For each
diagram:

1. Write an equation.

112 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 2. Explain how to figure out the weight of a piece labeled with a letter by reasoning about
the diagram.

3. Explain how to figure out the weight of a piece labeled with a letter by reasoning about
the equation.

Student Response
1. A: B: C: D:

2. Sample reasoning for diagram A: remove 1 unit of weight from each side of the hanger,
leaving 6 units on the left and 3 ’s on the right. Split each side into three equal groups,
showing that .

3. Sample reasoning for : Subtract 1 from each side, leaving . Divide each side
by 3, leaving .

Activity Synthesis
Invite students to demonstrate, side by side, how they reasoned with both the diagram and the
equation. For example, diagram A can be shown next to the equation . Cross out a piece
representing 1 from each side, and write , followed by . Encircle 3 equal
groups on each side, and write , followed by . Repeat for as many diagrams as
time allows. If diagrams A and B did not present much of a challenge for students, spend most of
the time on diagrams C and D.

We want students to walk away with two things:

1. An instant recognition of the structure of equations of the form where , , and

are specific, given numbers.

2. A visual representation in their minds that can be used to support understanding of why for
equations of this type, you can subtract from each side and then divide each side by to find
the solution.

Unit 6 Lesson 7 113

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Develop Language and Symbols. Create a display of important terms and
vocabulary. Include the following terms and maintain the display for reference throughout the
unit: hanger diagram. For example, display an example of a balanced hanger. With class
participation, create step-by-step instructions on how to write and solve an equation based on
the hanger.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Language

Support for English Language Learners

Representing, Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports. To invite participation in the whole-class

discussion, use sentence frames to support students’ explanations for how they found the
weights by reasoning about the hangers and equations. For example, provide the frame “First, I
___ because . . .”, “Then I ___ because . . . ." Be sure to verbalize and amplify mathematical
language in the students’ explanations (e.g., “subtracting the constant”, and “dividing by the
coefficient”). This will help students explain their reasoning with the diagram and the equation.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation); Cultivate conversation

Lesson Synthesis
Display the equation . Ask students to work with their partner to draw a corresponding
hanger diagram. Then, one partner solves by reasoning about the equation, the other solves by
reasoning about the diagram. Ask students to compare the two strategies and discuss how they are
alike and how they are different.

7.4 Solve the Equation

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Student Task Statement
Solve the equation. If you get stuck, try using a diagram.

Student Response

114 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Lesson Summary
In this lesson, we worked with two ways to show that two amounts are equal: a balanced
hanger and an equation. We can use a balanced hanger to think about steps to finding an
unknown amount in an associated equation.

The hanger shows a total weight of 7 units on

one side that is balanced with 3 equal,
unknown weights and a 1-unit weight on the
other. An equation that represents the
relationship is .

We can remove a weight of 1 unit from each

side and the hanger will stay balanced. This is
the same as subtracting 1 from each side of
the equation.

An equation for the new balanced hanger is

.

Unit 6 Lesson 7 115

 So the hanger will balance with of the
weight on each side: .

The two sides of the hanger balance with

these weights: 6 1-unit weights on one side
and 3 weights of unknown size on the other
side.

Here is a concise way to write the steps above:

Lesson 7 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
There is a proportional relationship between the volume of a sample of helium in liters and
the mass of that sample in grams. If the mass of a sample is 5 grams, its volume is 28 liters.
(5, 28) is shown on the graph below.

116 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 a. What is the constant of proportionality in this relationship?

b. In this situation, what is the meaning of the number you found in part a?

c. Add at least three more points to the graph above, and label with their coordinates.

d. Write an equation that shows the relationship between the mass of a sample of helium
and its volume. Use for mass and for volume.

Solution
a. 5.6 liters per gram

b. The volume of 1 gram of helium is 5.6 liters.

c. Answers vary. Sample answer:

Unit 6 Lesson 7 117

 d.

(From Unit 2, Lesson 11.)

Problem 2
Statement
Explain how the parts of the balanced hanger compare to the parts of the equation.

Solution
Responses vary. Sample response: The fact that the hanger is balanced (equal weights on each side)
matches the equal sign in the equation (equal expressions on each side). On the left of the hanger
there are 7 equal weights. The equation shows 7 on the left side, so we can assume that each
square represents 1 unit. The right side of the hanger has 2 circles of unknown weight, which
matches the in the equation - twice an unknown amount. The right side of the hanger also has 3
squares of unit weight, which matches the on the right side of the equation. The weight of the 2

118 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 circles and 3 squares added together (the plus sign in the equation) is the same as (equal sign) the
weight of the 7 squares.

Problem 3
Statement
For the hanger below:

a. Write an equation to represent the hanger.

b. Draw more hangers to show each step you would take to find . Explain your reasoning.

c. Write an equation to describe each hanger you drew. Describe how each equation
matches its hanger.

Solution
a.

b. Subtract 2 from each side to get a hanger with 5 circles on the left and a rectangle labeled 15
on the right. Then divide both sides by 5 to get a hanger with one circle on the left and
a rectangle labeled 3 on the right.

c. ,

Unit 6 Lesson 7 119

 Lesson 8: Reasoning about Solving Equations (Part
2)
Goals
• Compare and contrast (orally) different strategies for solving an equation of the form
.

• Explain (orally and in writing) how to use a balanced hanger diagram to solve an equation of
the form .

• Interpret a balanced hanger diagram with multiple groups, and justify (in writing) that there is
more than one way to write an equation that represents the relationship shown.

Learning Targets
• I can explain how a balanced hanger and an equation represent the same situation.
• I can explain why some balanced hangers can be described by two different equations, one
with parentheses and one without.

• I can find an unknown weight on a hanger diagram and solve an equation that represents the
diagram.

• I can write an equation that describes the weights on a balanced hanger.

Lesson Narrative
This lesson continues the work of developing efficient equation solving strategies, justified by
working with hanger diagrams. The goal of this lesson is for students to understand two different
ways to solve an equation of the form efficiently. After a warm-up to revisit the
distributive property, the first activity asks students to explain why either of two equations could
represent a diagram and reason about a solution. The next activity presents four diagrams, asks
students to match equations and then solve them. The goal is for students to see and understand
two approaches to solving this type of equation.

Alignments
Building On
• 6.EE.A.4: Identify when two expressions are equivalent (i.e., when the two expressions name
the same number regardless of which value is substituted into them). For example, the
expressions and are equivalent because they name the same number regardless
of which number stands for.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the

120 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Instructional Routines
• MLR1: Stronger and Clearer Each Time
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• Think Pair Share
Student Learning Goals
Let’s use hangers to understand two different ways of solving equations with parentheses.

8.1 Equivalent to
Warm Up: 5 minutes
Students worked with the distributive property with variables in grade 6 and with numbers in
earlier grades. In order to understand the two ways of solving an equation of the form
in the upcoming lessons, it is helpful to have some fluency with the distributive property.

Building On
• 6.EE.A.4
Instructional Routines
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Give 3 minutes of quiet work time and then invite students to
share their responses with their partner, followed by a whole-class discussion.

Student Task Statement

Select all the expressions equivalent to .

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Student Response
1, 2, 3

Unit 6 Lesson 8 121

 Activity Synthesis
Focus specifically on why 1 and 3 are equivalent to lead into the next activity. You may also recall
the warm-ups from prior lessons and ask if is equal to 10, or other numbers, how much is
?

Ask students to write another expression that is equivalent to (look for ).

8.2 Either Or
15 minutes
This activity continues the work of using a balanced hanger to develop strategies for solving
equations. Students are presented with a balanced hanger and are asked to explain why each of
two different equations could represent it. They are then asked to find the unknown weight. Note
that no particular solution method is prescribed. Give students a chance to come up with a
reasonable approach, and then use the synthesis to draw connections between the diagram and
each of the two equations. Students notice the structure of equations and diagrams and find
correspondences between them and between solution strategies.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR1: Stronger and Clearer Each Time
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. Give 5–10 minutes of quiet work time and time to share their
responses with a partner, followed by a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Develop Language and Symbols. Use virtual or concrete manipulatives to connect
symbols to concrete objects or values. For example, create a balanced hanger using concrete
objects. Be sure to use individual pieces for each part of the diagram. Demonstrate moving
pieces off of the hanger to create an equation. Invite students to show different ways to create
the same equation.
Supports accessibility for: Visual-spatial processing; Conceptual processing

122 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Conversing, Representing: MLR1 Stronger and Clearer Each Time. Use this routine to help students
improve their written response to the first question, by providing them with multiple
opportunities to clarify their explanations through conversation. Give students time to meet
with 2–3 partners, to share and get feedback on their responses. Provide listeners with
prompts for feedback that will help their partners strengthen their ideas and clarify their
language. For example, students can ask their partner, "How is represented in the
hanger?" or "Can you say more about..." After both students have shared and received
feedback, provide students with 3-4 minutes to revise their initial draft, including ideas and
language from their partner. This will help students communicate why the same hanger can be
represented with equations in either form.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation); Cultivate conversation

Student Task Statement

1. Explain why either of these equations could represent this hanger:

or

2. Find the weight of one circle. Be prepared to explain your reasoning.

Student Response
1. Answers vary. The diagram shows 14 balanced with 2 groups of , and this corresponds to
. The diagram also shows 14 balanced with 2 ’s and another 6 units of weight,
which corresponds to .

2. 4 units. Sample reasoning:

• Since 2 groups of weighs 14 units, 1 group must weigh 7 units. If , then .

• Remove 6 units from each side, leaving . Therefore, .

Unit 6 Lesson 8 123

 Activity Synthesis
Have one student present who did first, and another student present who subtracted 6
first. If no one mentions one of these approaches, demonstrate it. Show how the hanger supports
either approach. The finished work might look like this for the first equation:

For the second equation, rearrange the right side of the hanger, first, so that 2 ’s are on the top
and 6 units of weight are on the bottom. Then, cross off 6 from each side and divide each side by 2.
Show this side by side with “doing the same thing to each side” of the equation.

8.3 Use Hangers to Understand Equation Solving,

Again
15 minutes
The first question is straightforward since each diagram uses a different letter, but it’s there to
make sure students start with . If some want to rewrite as first, that’s great.
We want some to do that but others to divide both sides by first. Monitor for students who take
each approach.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a

124 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. Give 5–10 minutes of quiet work time and time to share their
responses with a partner, followed by a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. To support development of organizational

skills in problem-solving, chunk this task into more manageable parts. For example, show only
2 hangers and 2 equations. If students finish early, assign the remaining hangers and
equations.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Organization

Student Task Statement

Here are some balanced hangers. Each piece is labeled with its weight.

For each diagram:

1. Assign one of these equations to each hanger:

Unit 6 Lesson 8 125

 2. Explain how to figure out the weight of a piece labeled with a letter by reasoning about
the diagram.

3. Explain how to figure out the weight of a piece labeled with a letter by reasoning about
the equation.

Student Response
1. Each equation corresponds to the diagram with the variable that matches.

2. Sample reasoning for the first diagram:

a. Split each side into two groups with on the left and 8 on the right. From one of
these groups, remove 5 units from each side. This shows that .

b. Rearrange the left side so that there are 2 ’s on top and 10 units on the bottom. Remove
10 units of weight from each side, leaving 2 ’s on the left and 6 on the right. Each must
weigh 3 units for the hanger to be in balance.

3. Sample reasoning for :

a. Divide each side by 2, leaving . Subtract 5 from each side, leaving .

b. Use the distributive property to write . Subtract 10 from each side leaving
. Divide each side by 2 leaving .

Activity Synthesis
Select one hanger for which one student divided by first and another student distributed first.
Display the two solution methods side by side, along with the hanger.

Support for English Language Learners

Representing, Conversing: MLR7 Compare and Connect. Use this routine to prepare students for
the whole-class discussion. Give students quiet think time to consider what is the same and
what is different about the two solution methods. Next, ask students to discuss what they
noticed with a partner. Listen for and amplify mathematical language students use to describe
how each solution method can be represented by the hanger.
Design Principle(s): Cultivate conversation

Lesson Synthesis
Display the equation . Ask one partner to solve by dividing first and the other to solve
by distributing first. Then, check that they got the same solution and that it makes the equation
true. If they get stuck, encourage them to draw a diagram to represent the equation.

8.4 Solve Another Equation

Cool Down: 5 minutes

126 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Student Task Statement
Solve the equation . If you get stuck, use the diagram.

Student Response
7.5. Sample reasoning:

• Divide each side by 3 leaving then subtract 4.5 from each side.

• The distributive property gives . Subtract 13.5 from each side leaving .
Divide each side by 3.

Student Lesson Summary

The balanced hanger shows 3 equal, unknown
weights and 3 2-unit weights on the left and
an 18-unit weight on the right.

There are 3 unknown weights plus 6 units of

weight on the left. We could represent this
balanced hanger with an equation and solve
the equation the same way we did before.

Unit 6 Lesson 8 127

 Since there are 3 groups of on the left,
we could represent this hanger with a
different equation: .

The two sides of the hanger balance with

these weights: 3 groups of on one side,
and 18, or 3 groups of 6, on the other side.

The two sides of the hanger will balance with

of the weight on each side:
.

We can remove 2 units of weight from each

side, and the hanger will stay balanced. This is
the same as subtracting 2 from each side of
the equation.

128 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 An equation for the new balanced hanger is
. This gives the solution to the original
equation.

Here is a concise way to write the steps above:

Lesson 8 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
Here is a hanger:

a. Write an equation to represent the hanger.

b. Solve the equation by reasoning about the equation or

the hanger. Explain your reasoning.

Solution
a.

b. , . Explanations vary. Sample explanation: Divide both sides by 5 to get a

circle labeled and a rectangle labeled 2 on the left, and a rectangle labeled 2.2 on the right.
Then subtract 2 from each side to get a circle on the left and rectangle with 0.2 on the right.

Problem 2
Statement
Explain how each part of the equation is represented in the hanger.

Unit 6 Lesson 8 129

 ◦
◦9
◦3
◦
◦
◦ the equal sign

Solution
Answers vary. Sample response:

◦ The circle has an unknown weight, so use to represent it.

◦ The left side has 9 squares, each weighing 1 unit.

◦ There are 3 identical groups on the right side.
◦ Each group on the right side is made up of one circle with weight units and 2 squares of
weight 1 unit each.

◦ The total weight of those 3 identical groups is the total weight of the right side.
◦ The equal sign is seen in the hanger being balanced.

Problem 3
Statement
Select the word from the following list that best describes each situation.

130 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 A. You deposit money in a savings account, 1. Tax
and every year the amount of money in
the account increases by 2.5%. 2. Commission

B. For every car sold, a car salesman is paid 3. Discount

6% of the car’s price.
4. Markup
C. Someone who eats at a restaurant pays
5. Tip or gratuity
an extra 20% of the food price. This extra
money is kept by the person who served 6. Interest
the food.

D. An antique furniture store pays $200 for

a chair, adds 50% of that amount, and
sells the chair for $300.

E. The normal price of a mattress is $600,

but it is on sale for 10% off.

F. For any item you purchase in Texas, you

pay an additional 6.25% of the item's
price to the state government.

Solution
◦ A: 6
◦ B: 2
◦ C: 5
◦ D: 4
◦ E: 3
◦ F: 1
(From Unit 4, Lesson 11.)

Problem 4
Statement
Clare drew this diagram to match the equation , but she got the wrong solution
as a result of using this diagram.

Unit 6 Lesson 8 131

 a. What value for can be found using the diagram?

b. Show how to fix Clare’s diagram to correctly match the equation.

c. Use the new diagram to find a correct value for .

d. Explain the mistake Clare made when she drew her diagram.

Solution
a. 32. can be found by subtracting 2 and 16 from 50 since the three parts 2, , and 16 sum to 50
in the diagram.

b. The diagram correctly represents the equation if the first block is changed from 2 to . Then
the three parts of the diagram are , , and , for a total of .

c. Since the corrected diagram shows that the number 50 is divided into parts of size , and 16,
the two 's must together equal 16 less than 50, which is 34. This means that one is 17.

d. Sample explanation: Clare showed instead of . She might not understand that
means 2 multiplied by , or she might not understand that the tape diagram shows parts
adding up to a whole.

(From Unit 6, Lesson 3.)

132 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 9: Dealing with Negative Numbers
Goals
• Generalize (orally) that doing the same thing to each side of an equation generates an
equivalent equation.

• Solve equations of the form or that involve negative numbers, and

explain (orally and in writing) the solution method.

Learning Targets
• I can use the idea of doing the same to each side to solve equations that have negative
numbers or solutions.

Lesson Narrative
In the previous lessons, we used hangers to reason about ways to approach equations of the form
or (which can be summed up as “do the same thing to each side until the
unknown equals a number”). Since the things we do to each side of an equation are just arithmetic
operations, and the properties of operations extend to negative numbers, this method of solving
equations also works when there are negative numbers, even though it doesn’t make physical
sense to think about weights on hangers representing negative numbers. After a warm-up designed
to remind students about operating on rational numbers, students are asked to solve some
straightforward equations involving negative numbers. “Doing the same thing to each side” is
presented as a valid method, even though negative numbers are involved. In the last activity,
students do the same thing to each side of an equation and their partner tries to guess what they
did. The purpose of this is to communicate that doing the same thing to each side maintains
equality even when the moves aren’t intended to lead to the equation's solution.

Alignments
Building On
• 7.NS.A: Apply and extend previous understandings of operations with fractions to add,
subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4: Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and
construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the
quantities.

• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,

where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Unit 6 Lesson 9: Dealing with Negative Numbers 133

 Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Which One Doesn’t Belong?
Student Learning Goals
Let’s show that doing the same to each side works for negative numbers too.

9.1 Which One Doesn’t Belong: Rational Number

Arithmetic
Warm Up: 10 minutes
This warm-up prompts students to compare four equations. It encourages students to explain their
reasoning, hold mathematical conversations, and gives you the opportunity to hear what they recall
of arithmetic on signed numbers. To allow all students to access the activity, each equation has one
obvious reason it does not belong. Encourage students to move past the obvious reasons and find
reasons based on mathematical properties.

During the discussion, listen for strategies for evaluating expressions with rational numbers that
will be helpful in the work of this lesson.

Building On
• 7.NS.A
Instructional Routines
• Which One Doesn’t Belong?
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2–4. Display the equations for all to see. Ask students to indicate
when they have noticed one that does not belong and can explain why. Give students 1 minute of
quiet think time and then time to share their thinking with their small group. In their small groups,
tell each student to share their reasoning why a particular equation does not belong and together
find at least one reason each question doesn’t belong.

134 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Task Statement
Which equation doesn’t belong?

Student Response
1. doesn’t belong because it’s the only one with a number on the left and an
operation on the right.

2. doesn’t belong because it’s the only one with addition.

3. doesn’t belong because it’s the only one with subtraction.

4. doesn’t belong because it’s the only one that is not true.

Activity Synthesis
Ask each group to share one reason why a particular equation does not belong. Record and display
the responses for all to see. After each response, ask the class if they agree or disagree. Since there
is no single correct answer to the question of which one does not belong, attend to students’
explanations and ensure the reasons given are correct. During the discussion, highlight any
strategies for adding, subtracting, or multiplying signed numbers.

9.2 Old and New Ways to Solve

15 minutes
These are all solvable by thinking “what value would make the equation true.” So, it’s
straightforward to figure out what the solution would be, but these equations present an
opportunity to demonstrate that “doing the same thing to each side” still works when there are
negative numbers. Monitor for students who reason about what value would make the equation
true and those who reason by doing the same thing to each side.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
Launch
Give 5–10 minutes of quiet work time followed by a whole-class discussion.

Unit 6 Lesson 9: Dealing with Negative Numbers 135

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Activate or supply background knowledge about

strategies for performing operations on signed numbers, as well as different representations
of equations. This will help students make connections between new problems and prior work.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Conceptual processing

Anticipated Misconceptions
Some students may need some additional support remembering and applying strategies for
performing operations on signed numbers. Draw their attention to any anchor charts or notes that
are available from the previous unit.

Student Task Statement

Solve each equation. Be prepared to explain your reasoning.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Student Response
1.

2.

3.

4.

Activity Synthesis
For each equation, ask one student to explain how they know their solution is correct. If no
students mention this approach, demonstrate solving each equation by doing the same thing to
each side.

The purpose of this discussion is to make the claim that “do the same thing to each side” also works
when subtraction or negative numbers are involved. Tell students that even though it doesn’t make
sense to represent negative numbers using the hanger metaphor, we are going to take it as a fact
that we can still do the same thing to each side of an equation even when we are working with
negative numbers.

136 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Representing: MLR7 Compare and Connect. Use this routine when students explain how they
solved their equations. Ask students, “What is the same and what is different?” about the
strategies. Draw students’ attention to the connection between the approaches of ‘finding the
value that makes the equation true’ and ‘doing the same to each side.’ These exchanges
strengthen students’ mathematical language use and reasoning based on ways to solve
equations that involve negative numbers.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making; Maximize meta-awareness

9.3 Keeping It True

15 minutes
The purpose of this activity is to note that doing the same thing to each side of an equation keeps it
in balance, even if those moves don’t get us closer to solving the equation. Students first explain
how each equation in a sequence follows logically from the previous one. Then, they start with the
equation and repeatedly do the same thing to each side to create a new equation. Their
partner tries to guess which moves they made.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Give students 2 minutes of quiet work time on the first question,
pause for a discussion, and then time to complete the task with their partner.

After students have a chance to work on the first question, pause for a discussion. Ask students
what different types of moves could we do to ? List the different kinds of things in the board,
so when students do their own, you can say you have to use different combinations of things on the
list. The purpose of this is to prevent students from going wild and generating equations that are
far out of the scope of the work in this unit.

Unit 6 Lesson 9: Dealing with Negative Numbers 137

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. Chunk this task into more manageable
parts to support students who benefit from support with organizational skills in problem
solving. Consider pausing after the first question for a brief class discussion before moving on.
Supports accessibility for: Organization; Attention

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports. To support students to produce statements about how
their partner transformed the equation , ask students to revisit the moves that were
used earlier in the lesson to transform . Students should use different combinations of
the moves on the list in conjunction with sentence frames such as “I noticed ___ so I . . .” or “I
know ___ because . . . .” This will help students explain their thinking. Design Principle(s):
Optimize output (for explanation)

Anticipated Misconceptions
Some students may need some additional support remembering and applying strategies for
performing operations on signed numbers. Draw their attention to any anchor charts or notes that
are available from the previous unit.

Student Task Statement

Here are some equations that all have the same solution.

1. Explain how you know that each equation has the same solution as the previous
equation. Pause for discussion before moving to the next question.

2. Keep your work secret from your partner. Start with the equation . Do the same
thing to each side at least three times to create an equation that has the same solution
as the starting equation. Write the equation you ended up with on a slip of paper, and
trade equations with your partner.

3. See if you can figure out what steps they used to transform into their equation.
When you think you know, check with them to see if you are right.

138 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Response
1. Answers vary. Sample responses:
◦ subtract 3 from each side
◦ swap the two sides of the equation
◦ multiply each side by -100
◦ swap the factors -100 and (the commutative property of multiplication)

◦ apply the distributive property

2. Answers vary.

3. Answers vary.

Activity Synthesis
Much of the discussion will take place in small groups. Questions for discussion:

• “Did you have any disagreements, and how did you resolve them?”
• “Did anything surprise you? Explain.”
• “What are some important things to keep in mind when working with negative numbers?”

Lesson Synthesis
Ask students to think of one or two important things they learned in this lesson, and share them
with a partner. Points to highlight include:

• Doing the same thing to each side of an equation still keeps the equation balanced, even when
there are negative numbers.

• Doing the same thing to each side of an equation still keeps the equation balanced, even when
the moves don’t get you closer to a solution.

9.4 Solve Two More Equations

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4
Student Task Statement
Solve each equation. Show your work, or explain your reasoning.

1. 2.

Student Response
1.

Unit 6 Lesson 9: Dealing with Negative Numbers 139

 2.

Student Lesson Summary

When we want to find a solution to an equation, sometimes we just think about what value in
place of the variable would make the equation true. Sometimes we perform the same
operation on each side (for example, subtract the same amount from each side). The
balanced hangers helped us to understand that doing the same to each side of an equation
keeps the equation true.

Since negative numbers are just numbers, then doing the same thing to each side of an
equation works for negative numbers as well. Here are some examples of equations that
have negative numbers and steps you could take to solve them.

Example:

Example:

Doing the same thing to each side maintains equality even if it is not helpful to solving for the
unknown amount. For example, we could take the equation and add to each
side:

If is true then is also true, but we are no closer to a solution than

we were before adding -2. We can use moves that maintain equality to make new equations
that all have the same solution. Helpful combinations of moves will eventually lead to an

140 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 equation like , which gives the solution to the original equation (and every equation we
wrote in the process of solving).

Lesson 9 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
Solve each equation.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

Solution
a. -7

b. -8

c. 13

d. 2

e. -3

Problem 2
Statement
Here is an equation . Write three different equations that have the same
solution as . Show or explain how you found them.

Solution
Equations vary. Sample equations: , ,

Sample explanation:

◦ Start with: .

◦ Add 20 to each side: .

◦ Use the commutative property of addition: .

Unit 6 Lesson 9: Dealing with Negative Numbers 141

 ◦ Subtract 5 from each side: .

Problem 3
Statement
Select all the equations that match the diagram.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Solution
["B", "C", "D"]
(From Unit 6, Lesson 3.)

Problem 4
Statement
There are 88 seats in a theater. The seating in the theater is split into 4 identical sections.
Each section has 14 red seats and some blue seats.

a. Draw a tape diagram to represent the situation.

b. What unknown amounts can be found by by using the diagram or reasoning about the
situation?

Solution
Answers vary. Sample responses:

a. A tape diagram with 4 equal parts, each labeled , for a total of 88.

b. Each section has 22 seats, of which 8 are blue. There are 32 blue seats and 56 red seats in the
theater.

(From Unit 6, Lesson 2.)

142 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Problem 5
Statement
Match each story to an equation.

A. A stack of nested paper cups is 8 inches 1.

tall. The first cup is 4 inches tall and each
of the rest of the cups in the stack adds 2.
inch to the height of the stack.
3.
B. A baker uses 4 cups of flour. She uses
cup to flour the counters and the rest to
make 8 identical muffins.

C. Elena has an 8-foot piece of ribbon. She

cuts off a piece that is of a foot long
and cuts the remainder into four pieces
of equal length.

Solution
◦ A: 2
◦ B: 3
◦ C: 1
(From Unit 6, Lesson 4.)

Unit 6 Lesson 9: Dealing with Negative Numbers 143

 Lesson 10: Different Options for Solving One
Equation
Goals
• Critique (orally and in writing) a given solution method for an equation of the form
.

• Evaluate (orally) the usefulness of different approaches for solving a given equation of the
form .

• Recognize that there are two common approaches for solving an equation of the form
, i.e., expanding using the distributive property or dividing each side by p.

Learning Targets
• For an equation like , I can solve it in two different ways: by first dividing each
side by 3, or by first rewriting using the distributive property.

• For equations with more than one way to solve, I can choose the easier way depending on the
numbers in the equation.

Lesson Narrative
The purpose of this lesson is to practice solving equations of the form , and to
notice that one of the two ways of solving may be more efficient depending on the numbers in the
equation.

Alignments
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Instructional Routines
• Algebra Talk

144 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 • MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Think Pair Share
Student Learning Goals
Let’s think about which way is easier when we solve equations with parentheses.

10.1 Algebra Talk: Solve Each Equation

Warm Up: 5 minutes
The purpose of this Algebra Talk is to promote seeing structure in equations of the form
. The goal is for students to see as a chunk of the equation. For each equation,
the equation is true if is 10. These understandings help students develop fluency. While four
problems are given, it may not be possible to share every strategy. Consider gathering only two or
three different strategies per problem, saving most of the time for the final question.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• Algebra Talk
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Launch
Display one equation at a time. Give students 30 seconds of quiet think time for each problem and
ask them to give a signal when they have an answer and a strategy. Keep all problems displayed
throughout the talk. Follow with a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. To support working memory, provide students with

sticky notes or mini whiteboards.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Organization

Student Task Statement

Unit 6 Lesson 10 145

 Student Response
• 13
• 13
• 13
•8
Activity Synthesis
Ask students to share their strategies for each problem. Record and display their responses for all
to see. To involve more students in the conversation, consider asking:

• “Who can restate ___’s reasoning in a different way?”

• “Did anyone have the same strategy but would explain it differently?”
• “Did anyone solve the problem in a different way?”
• “Does anyone want to add on to _____’s strategy?”
• “Do you agree or disagree? Why?”
It may help to display an equation like but cover the with your hand or
with an eraser. “100 times something is 1,000. What is the something?”

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports.: Display sentence frames to support students when they
explain their strategy. For example, "First, I _____ because . . ." or "I noticed _____ so I . . . ." Some
students may benefit from the opportunity to rehearse what they will say with a partner before
they share with the whole class.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation)

10.2 Analyzing Solution Methods

15 minutes
From previous work in the unit, students should already understand that distributing first is a valid
solution method, though this activity reinforces that understanding. The purpose of this activity is
to make explicit a common pitfall (in Noah’s method). Monitor for students with different, valid
reasons for agreeing or disagreeing. For example, disagree with Noah because . . .

• his answer doesn’t make the original equation true.

• a tape diagram shows that adding 9 to each side does not result in a diagram that can be
represented with .

146 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 • when you add 9 to the left side, you are adding it to by the distributive property, which
doesn’t result in .

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Give 5–10 minutes quiet work time and time to share their
reasoning with their partner, followed by a whole-class discussion.

Explain to students that their job is to analyze three solution methods for errors. They should share
with their partner whether they agree or disagree with each method, and explain why.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Engagement: Develop Effort and Persistence. Encourage and support opportunities for peer
interactions. Invite students to talk about their ideas with a partner before writing them down.
Display sentence frames to support students when they explain their strategy. For example, “I
agree/disagree with _____ because…” or “Instead of _____, he/she should have...”
Supports accessibility for: Language; Social-emotional skills

Anticipated Misconceptions
If students aren’t sure how to begin analyzing Noah’s method, ask them to explain what it means
for a number to be a solution of an equation. Alternatively, suggest that they draw a tape diagram
of .

Student Task Statement

Three students each attempted to solve the equation , but got different
solutions. Here are their methods. Do you agree with any of their methods, and why?

Noah’s method:

Unit 6 Lesson 10 147

 Elena’s method:

Andre’s method:

Student Response
Answers vary. Sample responses:

1. I disagree with Noah’s method, because is not . Noah should distribute the 2
before adding a number to each side.

2. I disagree with Elena’s method, because is , not . Instead of subtracting

18, it would be better to add 18.

3. I agree with Andre’s method, because all of his moves are valid, and 14 makes the original
equation true when substituted for .

Activity Synthesis
Invite students to share as many unique reasons they agree or disagree with each method as time
allows. See the Activity Narrative for anticipated approaches. Pay particular attention to Noah’s
method, since this represents a common error.

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports. To help students produce statements that explain why they
agree (or disagree) with the different solution methods, provide sentence frames such as “I
notice ___ so I …,” “That could be true because…” and “This method works because…” This will
provide students with a structure to communicate their reasoning while promoting access to
both content and language.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation)

148 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 10.3 Solution Pathways
15 minutes
The purpose of this activity is to practice solving equations of the form , recognizing
that there are two valid approaches, and making judgments about which one is more sensible for a
given equation.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Launch
Display this equation and a hanger diagram to match: . Tell students, “Any time you
want to solve an equation in this form, you have a choice to make about how to proceed. You can
either divide each side by 3 or you can distribute the 3.” Demonstrate each solution method side by
side, while appealing to reasoning about the hanger diagram.

Keep students in the same groups. 5–10 minutes of quiet or partner work time followed by a
whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Activate or supply background knowledge. Allow

students to use calculators to ensure inclusive participation in the activity.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Conceptual processing

Student Task Statement

For each equation, try to solve the equation using each method (dividing each side first, or
applying the distributive property first). Some equations are easier to solve by one method
than the other. When that is the case, stop doing the harder method and write down the
reason you stopped.

1.

2.

3.

Unit 6 Lesson 10 149

 4.

5.

Student Response
1. 3.03

2. 0.5

3. or equivalent

4. 2

5. 10

Activity Synthesis
Reveal the solution to each equation and give students a few minutes to resolve any discrepancies
with their partner.

Display the list of equations in the task, and ask students to help you label them with which solution
method was easier, either “divide first” or “distribute first.” Discuss any disagreements and the
reasons one method is easier than the other. (There is really no right or wrong answer here. Some
people might prefer moves that eliminate fractions and decimals as early as possible. Some might
want to minimize the number of computations.)

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports. Use this routine to help students produce mathematical
language to communicate about which method is more efficient. Give groups of students 3–4
minutes to discuss which method would be easiest for each problem. Next, select groups to
share how their solution methods minimize the number of computations needed, or address
eliminating fractions and decimals. Consider providing sentence frames such as: “Dividing first
was easier because ________, ” or “Distributing first was easier because_____.” Call on students to
restate and/or revoice their peers' descriptions using mathematical language.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for justification)

Lesson Synthesis
Possible questions for discussion:

• “What are the two main ways we can approach solving equations like the ones we saw today?”
(divide first or distribute first)

• “What kinds of things do we look for to decide which approach is better?” (powers of ten,
operations that result in whole numbers, moves that will eliminate fractions or decimals)

150 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 • “How can we check if our answer is a solution to the original equation?” (Substitute our answer
for the variable and see if it makes the equation true.)

10.4 Solve Two Equations

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Student Task Statement
Solve each equation. Show or explain your method.

1. 2.

Student Response
1.

2.

Student Lesson Summary

Equations can be solved in many ways. In this lesson, we focused on equations with a specific
structure, and two specific ways to solve them.

Suppose we are trying to solve the equation . Two useful approaches are:

• divide each side by

• apply the distributive property
In order to decide which approach is better, we can look at the numbers and think about
which would be easier to compute. We notice that will be hard, because 27 isn't
divisible by 5. But gives us , and 16 is divisible by 4. Dividing each side by
gives:

Sometimes the calculations are simpler if we first use the distributive property. Let's look at
the equation . If we first divide each side by 100, we get or 0.21 on
the right side of the equation. But if we use the distributive property first, we get an equation
that only contains whole numbers.

Unit 6 Lesson 10 151

 Lesson 10 Practice Problems
Problem 1
Statement
Andre wants to buy a backpack. The normal price of the backpack is $40. He notices that a
store that sells the backpack is having a 30% off sale. What is the sale price of the backpack?

Solution
$28

(From Unit 4, Lesson 11.)

Problem 2
Statement
On the first math exam, 16 students received an A grade. On the second math exam,
12 students received an A grade. What percentage decrease is that?

Solution
25% ( )

(From Unit 4, Lesson 12.)

Problem 3
Statement
Solve each equation.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

152 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution
a. 10

b. -7

c. -8

d. 60

e. 44

Problem 4
Statement
Select all expressions that represent a correct solution to the equation .

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

Solution
["D", "E", "F"]

Problem 5
Statement
Lin and Noah are solving the equation .

Lin starts by using the distributive property. Noah starts by dividing each side by 7.

a. Show what Lin's and Noah's full solution methods might look like.

b. What is the same and what is different about their methods?

Unit 6 Lesson 10 153

 Solution
Answers vary. Sample response:

a. ▪ Lin's solution method: , ,

▪ Noah's solution method: ,

b. Both methods involve dividing by 7, but Noah does the division first, while Lin does the
division last. Also, Lin's method involves subtracting 14, while Noah's method involves
subtracting 2. Both solutions are correct and valid. Noah's solution could be considered more
efficient for this example, because it takes fewer steps and has equally complicated arithmetic
work.

154 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 11: Using Equations to Solve Problems
Goals
• Interpret and coordinate tape diagrams, equations, and verbal descriptions for situations
involving signed numbers.

• Solve an equation of the form or to determine an unknown quantity in

a situation, and present the solution method (orally, in writing, and through other
representations).

• Write an equation of the form or to represent a situation involving

signed numbers.

Learning Targets
• I can solve story problems by drawing and reasoning about a tape diagram or by writing and
solving an equation.

Lesson Narrative
This lesson brings together the skills and concepts that have been studied in the unit so far.
Students solve problems that can be represented by equations of the form and
. A bit of scaffolding is offered in the first activity to reactivate their understanding of tape
diagrams, but after that no scaffolding is offered so that students can make sense of problems
(MP1) and choose representations to use (MP5).

Alignments
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3: Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with positive and
negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals), using tools
strategically. Apply properties of operations to calculate with numbers in any form; convert
between forms as appropriate; and assess the reasonableness of answers using mental
computation and estimation strategies. For example: If a woman making an hour gets a
raise, she will make an additional of her salary an hour, or , for a new salary of
. If you want to place a towel bar inches long in the center of a door that is
inches wide, you will need to place the bar about inches from each edge; this estimate can
be used as a check on the exact computation.

• 7.EE.B.4: Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and

construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the
quantities.

• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,

where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the

Unit 6 Lesson 11 155

 operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Instructional Routines
• Anticipate, Monitor, Select, Sequence, Connect
• Group Presentations
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• Think Pair Share
Required Materials
Sticky notes paper and markers, whiteboard space and
Tools for creating a visual display markers, shared online drawing tool, access to a
Any way for students to create work that can be document camera.
easily displayed to the class. Examples: chart

Required Preparation
Decide if students will conduct group presentations or a gallery walk for the last activity. If so,
prepare tools for creating a visual display and around 3 sticky notes per student. If not, these
materials are not necessary.

Student Learning Goals

Let’s use tape diagrams, equations, and reasoning to solve problems.

11.1 Remember Tape Diagrams

Warm Up: 5 minutes
The purpose of this warm-up is to reactivate students’ understanding of tape diagrams to make it
more likely that tape diagrams are accessible as a tool for them to choose in this lesson. The
diagram was deliberately constructed to encourage some students to write an equation like
and others like . Monitor for one student who writes each type of
equation.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Give 5 minutes of quiet think time and time to share their work
with a partner followed by a whole-class discussion.

156 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Task Statement

1. Write a story that could be represented by this tape diagram.

2. Write an equation that could be represented by this tape diagram.

Student Response
1. Answers vary. Sample story: A baker put cookies in each of three boxes. Then, he put 2 more
cookies in each box, and there were 24 total cookies in the 3 boxes.

2. or or equivalent

Activity Synthesis
After students have had a chance to share their work with their partner, select a few students to
share their stories. Then, select one student to share each type of equation and explain its
structure: and .

11.2 At the Fair

15 minutes
In this activity, students use a tape diagram to help them reason about a situation, write an
equation that represents it, and solve the equation. Students can use both the diagram and the
solution strategy of doing the same to each side and undoing that they saw in the past few lessons.
The first two questions provide more scaffolding and the last question provides none.

When students work on the last question, monitor for students who

• reason numerically without any diagrams or representations.

• create a tape diagram and use it to reason numerically.
• write an equation like and solve it by using the distributive property to
find the total amount saved, .

• write an equation and solve it by first dividing by 6 to find the cost of each discounted ticket.
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• Anticipate, Monitor, Select, Sequence, Connect

Unit 6 Lesson 11 157

 • MLR7: Compare and Connect
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. Give students 5–10 minutes of quiet work time and partner
discussions followed by a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. Chunk this task into more manageable
parts to support students who benefit from support with organizational skills in problem
solving. For example, present one question at a time and monitor students to ensure they are
making progress throughout the activity.
Supports accessibility for: Organization; Attention

Student Task Statement

1. Tyler is making invitations to the fair. He has already made some of the invitations, and
he wants to finish the rest of them within a week. He is trying to spread out the
remaining work, to make the same number of invitations each day. Tyler draws a
diagram to represent the situation.

a. Explain how each part of the situation is represented in Tyler’s diagram:

How many total invitations Tyler is trying to make.

How many invitations he has made already.

How many days he has to finish the invitations.

b. How many invitations should Tyler make each day to finish his goal within a week?
Explain or show your reasoning.

c. Use Tyler’s diagram to write an equation that represents the situation. Explain how
each part of the situation is represented in your equation.

d. Show how to solve your equation.

2. Noah and his sister are making prize bags for a game at the fair. Noah is putting 7 pencil
erasers in each bag. His sister is putting in some number of stickers. After filling 3 of the
bags, they have used a total of 57 items.

158 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 a. Explain how the diagram represents the situation.

b. Noah writes the equation to represent the situation. Do you agree

with him? Explain your reasoning.

c. How many stickers is Noah's sister putting in each prize bag? Explain or show your
reasoning.

3. A family of 6 is going to the fair. They have a coupon for $1.50 off each ticket. If they pay
$46.50 for all their tickets, how much does a ticket cost without the coupon? Explain or
show your reasoning. If you get stuck, consider drawing a diagram or writing an
equation.

Student Response
1. a. 122 total invitations. 66 have been made already. 7 days to finish because there are 7
boxes with an equal, unknown amount .

b. 8. Sample reasoning: subtract 66 from 122 and divide the result, 56, by 7.

c. . He makes the same amount each of 7 days, so represents the

number made in 7 days. He already made 66, so add those on, for a total of 122.

d. , , , , .

2. a. Answers vary. Sample response: There are 3 groups of stickers and 3 groups of 7
erasers. All together there are 57 items.

b. Answers vary. Sample response: Yes, Noah’s equation says that 3 groups of gives a
total of 57 items.

c. 12. Explanations vary. Sample responses: Each group of represents or 19

items, so . Another way to find is to subtract 21 from 57 and then
so . The first strategy represents first multiplying each side of
the equation by , and the second represents using the distributive property to write
as .

3. $9.25. Explanations vary. Sample response: Divide to find what they paid for
each ticket and then add $1.50. Another way is to reason that they saved a total of
, so add the 9 back to 46.50 to find the price of 6 tickets without the coupon, and
then divide by 6. These two strategies connect to writing the equation , and
solving it either by dividing by 6 first, or by using the distributive property to write
, , .

Unit 6 Lesson 11 159

 Activity Synthesis
Invite selected students to share their strategies for the last problem, following the sequence of
approaches in the Activity Narrative. As students present, display the different approaches side by
side, and ask students to explain the meaning of the numbers they find.

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking, Representing: MLR7 Compare and Connect. Use this routine during the whole-group
discussion as students compare approaches for solving the last problem. Comparisons should
focus on different representations of the situation. Listen for phrases like: “I used the tape
diagram because….” to highlight students’ justifications for the representations they choose.
Then ask students, “What is the same and what is different?” between the approaches. Amplify
language that connect quantities between representations (e.g., “How is the ‘family of 6’
represented in your equation? In your diagram?”). This will help students produce language
that describes their thinking about the connections between representations and approaches.
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness; Support sense-making

11.3 Running Around

15 minutes
This activity offers four word problems. Depending on time constraints, you may have all students
complete all four problems or assign a different problem to each group. The problems increase in
difficulty. It is suggested that students create a visual display of one of the problems and do a
gallery walk or presentation, but if time is short, you may choose to just have students work in their
workbooks or devices.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
• 7.EE.B.4
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• Group Presentations
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. Either instruct students to complete all four problems or assign
one problem to each group. If opting to have students do presentations or a gallery walk, distribute
tools for making a visual display.

Give students 5–6 minutes quiet work time and a partner discussion followed by a whole-class
discussion or gallery walk.

160 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Provide appropriate reading accommodations and

supports to ensure students access to written directions, word problems, and other text-based
content.
Supports accessibility for: Language; Conceptual processing

Anticipated Misconceptions
The phrases “9 times as far” and “9 times as many” may lead students to think about multiplying by
9 instead of dividing (or multiplying by ). Encourage students to act out the situations or draw
diagrams to help reason about the relationship between the quantities. Remind them to pay careful
attention to what or who a comparison refers to.

Student Task Statement

Priya, Han, and Elena, are members of the running club at school.

1. Priya was busy studying this week and ran 7 fewer miles than last week. She ran 9 times
as far as Elena ran this week. Elena only had time to run 4 miles this week.

a. How many miles did Priya run last week?

b. Elena wrote the equation to describe the situation. She solved the
equation by multiplying each side by 9 and then adding 7 to each side. How does
her solution compare to the way you found Priya's miles?

2. One day last week, 6 teachers joined of the members of the running club in an
after-school run. Priya counted a total of 31 people running that day. How many
members does the running club have?

3. Priya and Han plan a fundraiser for the running club. They begin with a balance of
-80 because of expenses. In the first hour of the fundraiser they collect equal donations
from 9 family members, which brings their balance to -44. How much did each parent
give?

4. The running club uses the money they raised to pay for a trip to a canyon. At one point
during a run in the canyon, the students are at an elevation of 128 feet. After
descending at a rate of 50 feet per minute, they reach an elevation of -472 feet. How
long did the descent take?

Student Response
1. a. 43 miles

Unit 6 Lesson 11 161

 b. Answers vary. Sample response: Since Priya ran 9 times as far as Elena, I multiplied 9 by 4
to get 36 miles. This is the number of miles Priya ran this week, so 36 is 7 less than what
she ran last week. I added 36 and 7 to get 43 miles. Elena solved an equation and I
worked backwards with the information in the problem (or used a diagram). But we both
took the same steps, multiply by 9 and add 7.

2. 35 members (one way is to solve the equation )

3. $4 (one way is to solve )

4. 12 minutes (one way is to solve )

Are You Ready for More?

A musician performed at three local fairs. At the first he doubled his money and spent $30. At
the second he tripled his money and spent $54. At the third, he quadrupled his money and
spent $72. In the end he had $48 left. How much did he have before performing at the fairs?

Student Response
$29.

Arithmetic solution: Work backwards: , , , ,

, .

Algebraic solution: Let represent original amount of money. After first fair: . After second
fair: . After third fair, = . Write equation
to show how much money is left. Solution is .

Activity Synthesis
If students created a visual display and you opt to conduct a gallery walk, ask students to post their
solutions. Distribute sticky notes and ask students to read others’ solutions, using the sticky notes
to leave questions or comments. Give students a moment to review any questions or comments left
on their display.

Invite any students who chose to draw a diagram to share; have the class agree or disagree with
their diagrams and suggest any revisions. Next, invite students who did not try to draw a diagram to
share strategies. Ask students about any difficulties they had creating the expressions and
equations. Did the phrase “9 times as many” suggest an incorrect expression? If yes, how did they
catch and correct for this error?

Lesson Synthesis
Ask students to reflect on the work done in this unit so far. What strategies have they learned? What
kinds of problems can they solve that they weren’t able to, previously? Ask them to write down or
share with a partner one new thing they have learned and one thing they still have questions or
confusion about.

162 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 11.4 The Basketball Game
Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Student Task Statement
Diego scored 9 points less than Andre in the basketball game. Noah scored twice as many
points as Diego. If Noah scored 10 points, how many points did Andre score?

Student Response
14 points. Explanations vary. Sample responses:

• Equation: , where is the number of points scored by Andre. , .

• Reasoning: Diego scored half as many points as Noah, so he scored 5 points. Andre scored 9
points more than Diego, or 14 points.

• Diagram: One possibility is two boxes each with showing a total of 10. Each box
represents 5 points, so is 14.

Student Lesson Summary

Many problems can be solved by writing and solving an equation. Here is an example:

Clare ran 4 miles on Monday. Then for the next six days, she ran the same distance each
day. She ran a total of 22 miles during the week. How many miles did she run on each of the
6 days?

One way to solve the problem is to represent the situation with an equation, ,
where represents the distance, in miles, she ran on each of the 6 days. Solving the equation
gives the solution to this problem.

Lesson 11 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
Find the value of each variable.

a.

Unit 6 Lesson 11 163

 b.

c.

d.

Solution
a.

b.

c.

d.

(From Unit 5, Lesson 9.)

Problem 2
Statement
Match each equation to its solution and to the story it describes.

Equations: Solutions:

a. a. -4

b. b.

c. c. 2
d. d. 8

Stories:

◦ The temperature is . Since midnight the temperature tripled and then rose 5 degrees.
What was temperature at midnight?

◦ Jada has 7 pink roses and some white roses. She gives all of them away: 5 roses to each
of her 3 favorite teachers. How many white roses did she give away?

◦ A musical instrument company reduced the time it takes for a worker to build a guitar.
Before the reduction it took 5 hours. Now in 7 hours they can build 3 guitars. By how
much did they reduce the time it takes to build each guitar?

◦ A club puts its members into 5 groups for an activity. After 7 students have to leave
early, there are only 3 students left to finish the activity. How many students were in
each group?

Solution
a. 3, club activity story

164 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 b. 2, building guitars story

c. 1, temperature story

d. 4, roses story

Problem 3
Statement
The baby giraffe weighed 132 pounds at birth. He gained weight at a steady rate for the first 7
months until his weight reached 538 pounds. How much did he gain each month?

Solution
58 pounds. He gained , or 406 pounds, over 7 months. . (Or solve
.)

Problem 4
Statement
Six teams are out on the field playing soccer. The teams all have the same number of players.
The head coach asks for 2 players from each team to come help him move some equipment.
Now there are 78 players on the field. Write and solve an equation whose solution is the
number of players on each team.

Solution
(or ),

Problem 5
Statement
A small town had a population of 960 people last year. The population grew to 1200 people
this year. By what percentage did the population grow?

Unit 6 Lesson 11 165

 Solution

The town has grown by 25%.

(From Unit 4, Lesson 7.)

Problem 6
Statement
The gas tank of a truck holds 30 gallons. The gas tank of a passenger car holds 50% less. How
many gallons does it hold?

Solution
15 gallons because 50% less than 30 is 15. (If the double number line is used, the tick marks on the
top are labeled 0, 15, 30, 45.)

(From Unit 4, Lesson 7.)

166 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 12: Solving Problems about Percent Increase
or Decrease
Goals
• Solve word problems leading to equations of the form or

Learning Targets
• I can solve story problems about percent increase or decrease by drawing and reasoning
about a tape diagram or by writing and solving an equation.

Lesson Narrative
This lesson is an opportunity for students to revisit percentages of and percentage change to solve
word problems. Minimal scaffolding is provided, so students will need to make sense of the
problems and perhaps attempt different solution pathways (MP1). Now, they can choose to use
their deeper understanding of tape diagrams and writing and solving equations (MP5).

Alignments
Addressing
• 7.EE.A.2: Understand that rewriting an expression in different forms in a problem context can
shed light on the problem and how the quantities in it are related. For example,
means that “increase by ” is the same as “multiply by .”

• 7.EE.B.3: Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with positive and
negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals), using tools
strategically. Apply properties of operations to calculate with numbers in any form; convert
between forms as appropriate; and assess the reasonableness of answers using mental
computation and estimation strategies. For example: If a woman making an hour gets a
raise, she will make an additional of her salary an hour, or , for a new salary of
. If you want to place a towel bar inches long in the center of a door that is
inches wide, you will need to place the bar about inches from each edge; this estimate can
be used as a check on the exact computation.

• 7.EE.B.4: Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and

construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the
quantities.

• 7.EE.B.4.a: Solve word problems leading to equations of the form and ,

where , , and are specific rational numbers. Solve equations of these forms fluently.
Compare an algebraic solution to an arithmetic solution, identifying the sequence of the
operations used in each approach. For example, the perimeter of a rectangle is cm. Its
length is cm. What is its width?

Unit 6 Lesson 12 167

 Instructional Routines
• Group Presentations
• MLR6: Three Reads
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Think Pair Share
Required Materials
Sticky notes paper and markers, whiteboard space and
Tools for creating a visual display markers, shared online drawing tool, access to a
Any way for students to create work that can be document camera.
easily displayed to the class. Examples: chart

Required Preparation
Decide if students will conduct group presentations or a gallery walk for the last activity. If so,
prepare tools for creating a visual display and around 3 sticky notes per student. If not, these
materials are not necessary.

Student Learning Goals

Let’s use tape diagrams, equations, and reasoning to solve problems with negatives and
percents.

12.1 20% Off

Warm Up: 10 minutes
The purpose of this warm-up is for students to review how to solve for percentage change and
represent these situations with expressions. Analyzing the structure of equivalent expressions for
the same situation helps students see how the quantities in it are related. Since there are many
equivalent expressions to represent how to find percentage change in a situation,
encourage students to look for relationships between the expressions.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.2
• 7.EE.B.4
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Give students 1 minute of quiet work time followed by 2 minutes
to compare their responses with their partner. During the partner discussion, tell students to
discuss the expressions they have in common, ones they don’t and then try to come to an
agreement on the correct expressions that represent the price of the item after the discount. Follow
with a whole-class discussion.

168 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Anticipated Misconceptions
Some students may choose expressions that represent the discount itself instead of the price of the
item after the discount. Ask those students to refer back to the situation to identify which piece of
the problem the expression they chose finds. If students are still unclear, it may be helpful to give
students a price for such as $10 and ask students if 20% of $10 makes sense as the new price of
the item after the discount and then what piece of the problem they found.

Student Task Statement

An item costs dollars and then a 20% discount is applied. Select all the expressions that
could represent the price of the item after the discount.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Student Response
Expressions 2, 3, 4, and 5 represent the price of the item after the discount.

Activity Synthesis
Ask students to indicate whether each expression represents the price of the item after the
discount. If all students agree on an expression, ask 1 or 2 students to explain their reasoning and
move to the next expression. Record and display their responses for all to see. If there is a
disagreement on an expression, ask students to explain their reasoning for both choices and come
to an agreement.

After the class had agreed on the four expressions that represent the price of the item after the
discount, record them as a list and display them all to see. Ask students to discuss any connections
they see between the expressions to show they are equivalent.

12.2 Walking More Each Day

10 minutes
The first three questions help students recall how tape diagrams can be used to represent a
percentage increase situation and draw connections to an equation representing percent increase.
Monitor for different approaches in the first three questions (see solutions for different
approaches).

Unit 6 Lesson 12 169

 The last question is review of previous work in this unit. This fourth question can be used for
additional practice, but it can be safely skipped if time is short.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.3
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. Tell students to work on the first three questions and pause for
discussion. Give 5 minutes of quiet work time and time to share their responses with a partner,
followed by a whole-class discussion. If time permits, the last question can be used as more practice
on work from earlier in the unit.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. To support development of organizational

skills, check in with students within the first 2–3 minutes of work time. Look for students who
use equivalent fractions and percents in explaining their understanding of the diagram.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Organization

Support for English Language Learners

Representing, Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports. Use this routine to help students understand
how tape diagrams can be used to represent a percentage increase situation. Invite students to
label their tape diagrams to show what each section represents for Day 1, 2, and 3. Arrange
students in groups of 2. Ask groups to compare how they used the tape diagrams to solve each
question. Listen for common language students use to describe different approaches.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making; Maximize meta-awareness

Anticipated Misconceptions
If students bring up that the diagram represents 120% or , or if they refer to each equal part as
20% or , ask what whole the fraction or percent refers to. They should understand that the whole
is the amount from Day 2, .

170 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Task Statement
1. Mai started a new exercise program. On the second day, she walked 5 minutes more
than on the first day. On the third day, she increased her walking time from day 2 by
20% and walked for 42 minutes. Mai drew a diagram to show her progress.

Explain how the diagram represents the situation.

2. Noah said the equation also represents the situation. Do you agree
with Noah? Explain your reasoning.

3. Find the number of minutes Mai walked on the first day. Did you use the diagram, the
equation, or another strategy? Explain or show your reasoning.

4. Mai has been walking indoors because of cold temperatures. On Day 4 at noon, Mai
hears a report that the temperature is only 9 degrees Fahrenheit. She remembers the
morning news reporting that the temperature had doubled since midnight and was
expected to rise 15 degrees by noon. Mai is pretty sure she can draw a diagram to
represent this situation but isn't sure if the equation is or .
What would you tell Mai about the diagram and the equation and how they might be
useful to find the temperature, , at midnight?

Student Response
1. Answers vary. Sample response: The last day is day 2 plus (20%) of day 2. Day 2 is 5 more
than Day 1.

2. Answers vary. Sample responses: Yes, she walked 42 minutes on Day 3, which is the same as
(equal to) 20% more than (1.20 times) 5 more than Day 1 ( ). No, I wrote the
equation because the diagram shows that 42 is more than .

3. 30 minutes. Answers vary. Sample responses:

◦ From the diagram, , ,

◦ From the equation, , , ,

◦ From another version of the equation: , , ,

4. Answers vary. Sample response: Since the temperature doubled and then increased by 15, the
diagram would show two equal parts and another part of 15, all with a total of 9. The equation
would be (or equivalent). The temperature at midnight can be found with the

Unit 6 Lesson 12 171

 equation or the diagram by subtracting 15 from 9 to get -6 and dividing by 2 to get -3. The
temperature, , at midnight was -3 degrees Fahrenheit.

Activity Synthesis
Select groups with different approaches to share their responses to the first three questions.

12.3 A Sale on Shoes

15 minutes
This activity offers four word problems. Depending on time constraints, you may have all students
complete all four problems or assign a different problem to each group. The problems increase in
difficulty. It is suggested that students create a visual display of one of the problems and do a
gallery walk or presentation, but if time is short you may choose to just have students work in their
workbooks or devices.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.2
• 7.EE.B.3
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Instructional Routines
• Group Presentations
• MLR6: Three Reads
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. Either instruct students to complete all four problems or assign
one problem to each group. If opting to have students do presentations or a gallery walk, distribute
tools for making a visual display.

Give students 5–6 minutes quiet work time and partner discussion followed by a whole-class
discussion or gallery walk.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Represent the same information through different

modalities by using diagrams, equations, or other drawings to depict the situation. If students
are unsure where to begin, suggest that they draw a diagram to help organize the information
provided. During the Synthesis, annotate drawings to illustrate connections between
representations.
Supports accessibility for: Conceptual processing; Visual-spatial processing

172 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Reading, Representing: MLR6 Three Reads. Use this routine to support reading comprehension of
the first problem without solving it for students. For the first read, read the situation to
students, without revealing the final question. Ask students "What is this question about?" (A
store is having a sale. Diego is buying shoes with a coupon). In the second read, ask students to
name the important quantities (e.g., discount of 20%, coupon for $3 off of the regular price,
Diego pays $18.40), and then create a diagram to represent the relationships among these
quantities. After the third read, ask students to brainstorm possible strategies to answer the
question, “What was the original price before the sale and without the coupon?” This will help
students connect the language in the word problem and reasoning needed to solve percent
problems.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making; Maximize meta-awareness

Student Task Statement

1. A store is having a sale where all shoes are discounted by 20%. Diego has a coupon for
$3 off of the regular price for one pair of shoes. The store first applies the coupon and
then takes 20% off of the reduced price. If Diego pays $18.40 for a pair of shoes, what
was their original price before the sale and without the coupon?

2. Before the sale, the store had 100 pairs of flip flops in stock. After selling some, they
notice that of the flip flops they have left are blue. If the store has 39 pairs of blue flip
flops, how many pairs of flip flops (any color) have they sold?

3. When the store had sold of the boots that were on display, they brought out another
34 pairs from the stock room. If that gave them 174 pairs of boots out, how many pairs
were on display originally?

4. On the morning of the sale, the store donated 50 pairs of shoes to a homeless shelter.
Then they sold 64% of their remaining inventory during the sale. If the store had 288
pairs after the donation and the sale, how many pairs of shoes did they have at the
start?

Unit 6 Lesson 12 173

 Student Response
1. $26. Explanations vary. Sample response: I wrote the equation to show that
Diego paid 80% (0.8) of the original price less the $3 coupon ( ), which came to a
discounted price of $18.40.

2. 35 pairs of flip flops. , .

3. 180 pairs of boots. , .

4. 850 pairs of shoes. , .

Are You Ready for More?

A coffee shop offers a special: 33% extra free or 33% off the regular price. Which offer is a
better deal? Explain your reasoning.

Student Response
Answers vary. Sample response: 33% off the price is a better deal. Suppose you buy 1 cup of coffee
at price . 33% off means you pay for one cup. 33% extra free means you pay for 1.33 cups
of coffee, or for 1 cup, which is about . The unit price for 1 cup of coffee is less with 33%
off the price.

Activity Synthesis
If students created a visual display and you opt to conduct a gallery walk, ask students to post their
solutions. Distribute sticky notes and ask students to read others’ solutions, using the sticky notes
to leave questions or comments. Give students a moment to review any questions or comments left
on their display.

Invite any students who chose to draw a diagram to share; have the class agree or disagree with
their diagrams and suggest any revisions. Next, invite students who did not try to draw a diagram to
share strategies. Ask students about any difficulties they had creating the expressions and
equations. Highlight equivalent expressions that represent the same quantity and different
strategies for solving equations.

Lesson Synthesis
Ask students to reflect on the work done in this unit so far. What strategies have they learned? What
kinds of problems can they solve that they weren’t able to, previously? Ask them to write down or
share with a partner one new thing they have learned and one thing they still have questions or
confusion about.

12.4 Timing the Relay Race

Cool Down: 5 minutes

174 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Addressing
• 7.EE.A.2
• 7.EE.B.3
• 7.EE.B.4.a
Student Task Statement
The track team is trying to reduce their time for a relay race. First they reduce their time by
2.1 minutes. Then they are able to reduce that time by . If their final time is 3.96 minutes,
what was their beginning time? Show or explain your reasoning.

Student Response
6.5 minutes. Explanations vary. Sample responses:

• With equation: , , .

• Reasoning with or without a diagram: 9 out of 10 parts represent 3.96 minutes, so the
reduction was or 0.44 minutes. That makes the time before the 2.1 minute reduction
or 4.4 minutes. The original time was or 6.5 minutes.

Student Lesson Summary

We can solve problems where there is a percent increase or decrease by using what we know
about equations. For example, a camping store increases the price of a tent by 25%. A
customer then uses a $10 coupon for the tent and pays $152.50. We can draw a diagram that
shows first the 25% increase and then the $10 coupon.

The price after the 25% increase is or . An equation that represents the
situation could be . To find the original price before the increase and
discount, we can add 10 to each side and divide each side by 1.25, resulting in . The
original price of the tent was $130.

Lesson 12 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
A backpack normally costs $25 but it is on sale for $21. What percentage is the discount?

Unit 6 Lesson 12 175

 Solution
16%

(From Unit 4, Lesson 12.)

Problem 2
Statement
Find each product.

a.

b.

c.

d.

Solution
a. -4

b. 12

c. 1

d. 1

(From Unit 5, Lesson 9.)

Problem 3
Statement
Select all expressions that show increased by 35%.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

176 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution
["A", "C", "D", "E"]

Problem 4
Statement
Complete each sentence with the word discount, deposit, or withdrawal.

a. Clare took $20 out of her bank account. She made a _____.

b. Kiran used a coupon when he bought a pair of shoes. He got a _____.

c. Priya put $20 into her bank account. She made a _____.

d. Lin paid less than usual for a pack of gum because it was on sale. She got a _____.

Solution
a. withdrawal

b. discount

c. deposit

d. discount

(From Unit 4, Lesson 11.)

Problem 5
Statement
Here are two stories:

◦ The initial freshman class at a college is 10% smaller than last year’s class. But then
during the first week of classes, 20 more students enroll. There are then 830 students in
the freshman class.

◦ A store reduces the price of a computer by $20. Then during a 10% off sale, a customer
pays $830.

Here are two equations:

◦
◦
a. Decide which equation represents each story.

b. Explain why one equation has parentheses and the other doesn’t.

Unit 6 Lesson 12 177

 c. Solve each equation, and explain what the solution means in the situation.

Solution
Answers vary. Sample responses:

a. The freshman class: , computer:

b. It depends on which came first, the additive increase or decrease (parentheses needed) or the
percent decrease (no parentheses needed, since the convention is to multiply before adding
when there are no parentheses).

c. The freshman class: , which is the size of last year's freshman class. Computer:
(rounding to the nearest cent), which is the original price of the computer.

178 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 13: Reintroducing Inequalities
Goals
• Comprehend the terms “less than or equal to” and “greater than or equal to” (in spoken and
written language) and the symbols ≤ and ≥ (in written language).

• Recognize that more than one value for a variable makes the same inequality true.
• Use substitution to determine whether a given value for a variable makes an inequality true,
and justify (orally) the answer.

Learning Targets
• I can explain what the symbols and mean.

• I can represent an inequality on a number line.

• I understand what it means for a number to make an inequality true.
Lesson Narrative
In grade 6, students learned how to write and interpret inequalities of the form and . In
this lesson, students begin to investigate inequalities of the form and .

First, they are reintroduced to the notation < and > and reminded how inequalities can be
expressed algebraically and graphically on a number line. A context is used to help students make
sense of inequalities. The symbols and are introduced, which are the relevant symbols to use in
many of the modeling problems they will see later on. Then they use substitution to check whether
given values of satisfy inequalities.

Alignments
Building On
• 6.EE.B.5: Understand solving an equation or inequality as a process of answering a question:
which values from a specified set, if any, make the equation or inequality true? Use
substitution to determine whether a given number in a specified set makes an equation or
inequality true.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4: Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and
construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the
quantities.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b: Solve word problems leading to inequalities of the form or ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Graph the solution set of the inequality and
interpret it in the context of the problem. For example: As a salesperson, you are paid $50 per

Unit 6 Lesson 13: Reintroducing Inequalities 179

 week plus $3 per sale. This week you want your pay to be at least $100. Write an inequality for
the number of sales you need to make, and describe the solutions.

Instructional Routines
• MLR5: Co-Craft Questions
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Think Pair Share
Student Learning Goals
Let’s work with inequalities.

13.1 Greater Than One

Warm Up: 5 minutes
The purpose of this activity is for students to substitute values into an inequality and check to see if
each value satisfies the inequality based on a number line representation. This is the first
opportunity (of many to come) to practice this type of substitution with inequalities.

Building On
• 6.EE.B.5
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Instructional Routines
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Since it may have been a while since students encountered this
notation, remind students that is read “ is greater than 1.” Give students 2 minutes of quiet
work time followed by 1 minute to share their responses with a partner. During the partner
discussion, tell students to compare their answers for the first question and see if they agree with
their partner’s chosen values for the second question. Follow with a whole-class discussion.

Anticipated Misconceptions
Some students may think 700 is not a solution to Tell students that since there is an arrow at
the end of the dark line, it includes all values that would fall on that line, even the ones not shown.

Student Task Statement

The number line shows values of that make the inequality true.

180 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 1. Select all the values of from this list that make the inequality true.

a. 3

b. -3

c. 1

d. 700

e. 1.05

2. Name two more values of that are solutions to the inequality.

Student Response
1. a (3), d (700), and e (1.05)

2. Answers vary. Sample response: 4 and 10.

Activity Synthesis
Ask a few students to share their responses for the last question. After each student shares, ask the
class whether they agree or disagree. If students focus solely on the number line representation, be
sure to tell them that to test whether a value makes an inequality true, you can substitute the value
for the variable. Highlight the fact that “greater than 1” does not include 1.

Here are some questions for discussion:

• What does the open circle at 1 mean? (It means 1 is not included.)
• Is 1 a solution to the inequality ?

13.2 The Roller Coaster

15 minutes
The purpose of this activity is to remind students that the symbol < is read “is less than” and the
symbol > is read “is greater than.” Also, remind students of the use of an open circle or closed circle
to indicate that the boundary point is included. Then, the symbols and are introduced.

Monitor for students who express the answer to the last question using words or using symbols.
The responses to the last question will be used to introduce the new notation.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Instructional Routines
• MLR5: Co-Craft Questions
• Think Pair Share

Unit 6 Lesson 13: Reintroducing Inequalities 181

 Launch
Allow students 5–10 minutes quiet work time and time to share their responses with a partner,
followed by a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Access for Perception. Read all problems aloud. Students who both listen to and
read the information will benefit from extra processing time.
Supports accessibility for: Language

Support for English Language Learners

Conversing, Writing: MLR5 Co-craft Questions. Use this routine to help students consider the
context of the first problem and to increase awareness about language used to describe
situations involving inequalities. Begin by displaying only the initial text and photo of the roller
coaster, without revealing the follow-up questions. In groups of 2, invite students to write
down mathematical questions they have about this situation. Ask pairs to share their questions
with the whole class. Amplify questions that highlight the mathematical language of “at least.”
Design Principle(s): Cultivate conversation; Maximize meta-awareness

Anticipated Misconceptions
If students are having trouble interpreting the first three questions or articulating their responses,
encourage them to make use of the number line that appears in question 4.

Student Task Statement

A sign next to a roller coaster at an
amusement park says, “You must be at least
60 inches tall to ride.” Noah is happy to know
that he is tall enough to ride.

1. Noah is inches tall. Which of the following can be true: , , or ?

Explain how you know.

2. Noah’s friend is 2 inches shorter than Noah. Can you tell if Noah’s friend is tall enough
to go on the ride? Explain or show your reasoning.

182 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 3. List one possible height for Noah that means that his friend is tall enough to go on the
ride, and another that means that his friend is too short for the ride.

4. On the number line below, show all the possible heights that Noah’s friend could be.

5. Noah's friend is inches tall. Use and any of the symbols , , to express this
height.

Student Response
1. (or ). Explanations vary. Sample response: “At least” means that Noah must be
60 inches or taller.

2. No, we don’t know if Noah’s friend is tall enough to go on the ride. Explanations vary. Sample
response: Since we don’t know whether Noah’s height is exactly 60, within 2 inches of 60, or
more than 2 inches above 60, we can’t know if 2 less than his height is at least 60.

3. Answers vary. Sample response: Noah could be 63 inches tall, which means his friend is 61
inches tall and can ride. Noah can be 61 inches tall, which means his friend is 59 inches tall
and cannot ride.

4.

5. (or ).

Activity Synthesis
Ask selected students to share their response to the last question. They are likely to write
something like “ or .” The < and > symbols are not enough to capture what we need
here with a single mathematical statement. In grade 6, students saw graphs of inequalities using
open and closed circles. Now, we can introduce new symbols and , that mean “less than or
equal to” and “greater than or equal to.”

13.3 Is the Inequality True or False?

15 minutes
The purpose of this task is for students to interpret the notation , , , and to evaluate whether
different values make an inequality true. It is not expected that students will solve the inequalities
generally. The work in this activity sets students up for success in later lessons when they test
points to determine the direction of the inequality in the process of solving.

Notice students who use the following approaches:

Unit 6 Lesson 13: Reintroducing Inequalities 183

 • Substituting a value in for , evaluating the expression, thinking about whether the statement
is true. For example, “Is -300 less than 75? Yes, so this is true.”

• Drawing a number line for each inequality and using it to reason about different values.
Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. Give 5–10 minutes quiet and partner work time followed by a
whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Engagement: Internalize Self Regulation. Chunk this task into more manageable parts to
differentiate the degree of difficulty or complexity. After students have completed the first 1–2
rows of the table, consider pausing for a brief class discussion before moving on.
Supports accessibility for: Organization; Attention

Anticipated Misconceptions
Students who try to apply what they know about solving equations to solve the inequalities
algebraically may come up with incorrect solutions. For instance, may at first glance look
equivalent to , since the “less than” sign appears. Students may incorrectly think that
is equivalent to . Ask these students, for example, what the solution to
means (25 is the value of that makes equal to 100). Then encourage these students to test
values like 24 and 26 to see whether they are solutions to . This will be covered in greater
detail in a later lesson, so this understanding does not need to be solidified at this time.

Student Task Statement

The table shows four inequalities and four possible values for . Decide whether each value
makes each inequality true, and complete the table with “true” or “false.” Discuss your
thinking with your partner. If you disagree, work to reach an agreement.

184 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 0 100 -100 25

Student Response

0 100 -100 25

true false true true

false true false false

true false true false

false true false true

Are You Ready for More?

Find an example of in inequality used in the real world and describe it using a number line.

Student Response
Answers vary.

Activity Synthesis
The purpose of the discussion is to note the consequences of an inequality using versus <, and
versus >. Direct students’ attention to and . Substituting 25 for in each of
these inequalities gives , which is false, and , which is true. The key distinction is
that and inequalities are considered true when both sides are equal, whereas < and >
inequalities are considered false when both sides are equal. Ask students to present different
strategies for determining whether a value makes an inequality true. Ask whether students were
surprised by or initially incorrect about any of the answers. Emphasize that substituting a value in
for , and thinking about whether the resulting inequality is saying something true, is the most
direct way to check whether the value is a solution.

Unit 6 Lesson 13: Reintroducing Inequalities 185

 Support for English Language Learners

Speaking, Conversing: MLR8 Discussion Supports. Provide students with sentence frames that will
help them define what each inequality symbol means. For example, “____ is greater than or
equal to ____.", "____ is less than or equal to _____.", " _____ is greater than _____." and "_____ is
less than _____.” Create a chart with the matching symbols for each frame and encourage
students to refer to this chart when they explain whether they think each inequality is “true” or
“false.”
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making

Lesson Synthesis
By the end of this lesson, students should be able to interpret the symbols and and be able to
test whether a given value makes an inequality true. Ask students to write an equality to which -5 is
a solution, then trade with their partner to see if their partner agrees.

13.4 Some Values, All Values

Cool Down: 5 minutes
The purpose of this activity is for students to use any of the strategies they developed in this lesson
to graph the solution to an inequality and contrast < with .

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4
Anticipated Misconceptions
Students may divide both sides of the inequality by -2 to arrive at the incorrect solution .

Student Task Statement

Here is an inequality: .

1. List some values for that would make this inequality true.

2. How are the solutions to the inequality different from the solutions
to ? Explain your reasoning.

Student Response
1. Any number less than -5 is a solution.

2. Responses vary. Sample response: The solutions to and are the same,
except when is -5. The number -5 would be included as a solution to because
is a true statement.

186 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Lesson Summary
We use inequalities to describe a range of numbers. In many places, you are allowed to get a
driver’s license when you are at least 16 years old. When checking if someone is old enough
to get a license, we want to know if their age is at least 16. If is the age of a person, then we
can check if they are allowed to get a driver’s license by checking if their age makes the
inequality (they are older than 16) or the equation (they are 16) true. The
symbol , pronounced “greater than or equal to,” combines these two cases and we can just
check if (their age is greater than or equal to 16). The inequality can be
represented on a number line:

Lesson 13 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
For each inequality, find two values for that make the inequality true and two values that
make it false.

a.

b.

c.

d.

Solution
Answers vary. Sample response:

a. True: and , false: and

b. True: and , false: and

c. True: and , false: and

d. True: and , false: and

Problem 2
Statement
Here is an inequality: .

a. List some values for that would make this inequality true.

Unit 6 Lesson 13: Reintroducing Inequalities 187

 b. How are the solutions to the inequality different from the solutions to
? Explain your reasoning.

Solution
a. Any value less than -6

b. The inequalities have almost the same solutions, but the first includes -6 and the second does
not.

Problem 3
Statement
Here are the prices for cheese a. You had a coupon that made the price of a large pizza
pizza at a certain pizzeria: $13.00. For what percent off was the coupon?

b. Your friend purchased a medium pizza for $10.31 with a

pizza size price in dollars
30% off coupon. What is the price of a medium pizza
small 11.60 without a coupon?

medium c. Your friend has a 15% off coupon and $10. What is the
largest pizza that your friend can afford, and how much
large 16.25 money will be left over after the purchase?

Solution
a. 20%

b. $14.73

c. Small, $0.14

(From Unit 4, Lesson 12.)

Problem 4
Statement
Select all the stories that can be represented by the diagram.

188 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 A. Andre studies 7 hours this week for end-of-year exams. He spends 1 hour on English
and an equal number of hours each on math, science, and history.

B. Lin spends $3 on 7 markers and a $1 pen.

C. Diego spends $1 on 7 stickers and 3 marbles.

D. Noah shares 7 grapes with 3 friends. He eats 1 and gives each friend the same number
of grapes.

E. Elena spends $7 on 3 notebooks and a $1 pen.

Solution
["A", "D", "E"]
(From Unit 6, Lesson 4.)

Unit 6 Lesson 13: Reintroducing Inequalities 189

 Lesson 14: Finding Solutions to Inequalities in
Context
Goals
• Interpret inequalities that represent situations with a constraint.
• Solve an equation of the form to determine the boundary point for an inequality of
the form or .

• Use substitution or reasoning about the context to justify (orally and in writing) whether the
values that make an inequality true are greater than or less than the boundary point.

Learning Targets
• I can describe the solutions to a inequality by solving a related equation and then reasoning
about values that make the inequality true.

• I can write an inequality to represent a situation.

Lesson Narrative
In this lesson, students see more examples of inequalities in a context. This time, many inequalities
involve negative coefficients. This illustrates the idea that solving an inequality is not as simple as
solving the corresponding equation. After students find the boundary point, they must do some
extra work to figure out the direction of inequality. This might involve reasoning about the context,
substituting in values on either side of the boundary point, or reasoning about number lines. All of
these techniques exemplify MP1: making the problem more concrete and visual and asking “Does
this make sense?” In this lesson, the emphasis is on reasoning about the context.

It is important to understand that the goal is not to have students learn and practice an algorithm
for solving inequalities like “whenever you multiply or divide by a negative, flip the inequality.”
Rather, we want students to understand that solving a related equation tells you the lower or upper
bound of an inequality. To know whether values greater than or less than the boundary number
make the inequality true, it's best to either think about the context or test some values that are
above and below the boundary number. This way of reasoning about inequalities will serve
students well long into their future studies, whereas students are very likely to forget a procedure
memorized for a special case.

Alignments
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b: Solve word problems leading to inequalities of the form or ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Graph the solution set of the inequality and
interpret it in the context of the problem. For example: As a salesperson, you are paid $50 per
week plus $3 per sale. This week you want your pay to be at least $100. Write an inequality for
the number of sales you need to make, and describe the solutions.

190 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b: Solve word problems leading to inequalities of the form or ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Graph the solution set of the inequality and
interpret it in the context of the problem. For example: As a salesperson, you are paid $50 per
week plus $3 per sale. This week you want your pay to be at least $100. Write an inequality for
the number of sales you need to make, and describe the solutions.

Instructional Routines
• MLR5: Co-Craft Questions
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Think Pair Share
Required Preparation
Several activities suggest providing students with blank number lines to use for scratch work. One
way to accomplish this is to print a line with unlabeled, evenly-spaced tick marks, and place these
into sheet protectors. Students can write on these with dry erase markers and wipe them off.

Student Learning Goals

Let’s solve more complicated inequalities.

14.1 Solutions to Equations and Solutions to

Inequalities
Warm Up: 10 minutes
This warm-up highlights the link between an inequality and its associated equation. This will be
solidified throughout the lesson as students solve the associated equation and reason in context to
determine the direction of inequality. Notice students who use the value -10 as a boundary as they
test values to find solutions to the inequalities.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Launch
Give students 5 minutes of quiet work time followed by a whole-class discussion. Optionally,
provide students with blank number lines for scratch work.

Student Task Statement

1. Solve

2. Find 2 solutions to

3. Solve

Unit 6 Lesson 14 191

 4. Find 2 solutions to

Student Response
1. -10

2. Answers vary. Possible responses: -12, -28.7, -209. (Any value that is less than -10 works.)

3. -10

4. Answers vary. Possible responses: -9, 0, . (Any value that is greater than -10 works.)

Activity Synthesis
Display two number lines for all to see that each include -10 and some integral values to its left and
right. Ask a few students to share their responses to the first two questions, recording their
responses on one number line and gauging the class for agreement. Ask a few students to share
their responses to the last two questions, recording their responses on the other number line and
gauging the class for agreement.

Highlight the fact that and have the same solution (-10), but the
inequalities and don't have the same solutions. Select students to share strategies
they had for finding solutions. If not mentioned by students, discuss the fact that since -10 makes
the sides equal, the neighborhood of values around -10 is a good place to start looking for
solutions.

14.2 Earning Money for Soccer Stuff

15 minutes
Previously in this unit, students wrote expressions and equations that are similar to the ones in this
activity. Here, they are prompted in a scaffolded way to notice that they can express not just that an
outcome can be equal to a value, but that an outcome can be at least as much as a value by using the
new notation .

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Instructional Routines
• MLR5: Co-Craft Questions
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Optionally, provide access to blank number lines to use for scratch work.

Arrange students in groups of 2. Allow 10 minutes of quiet work time and partner discussion
followed by a whole-class discussion. Depending on the needs of your class, you may decide to ask

192 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 students to pause after the first question for the whole-class discussion before tackling the second
question.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. To support development of organizational

skills, check in with students within the first 2–3 minutes of work time. Look for students who
correctly write an expression but struggle in writing an equation with the correct inequality
sign. Consider pausing for a brief whole-class discussion inviting students to share strategies
for determining the correct sign.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Organization

Support for English Language Learners

Conversing: MLR5 Co-craft Questions. Reveal only the context for Andre’s summer job, without
revealing the questions that follow. Ask students to create mathematical questions about this
situation. Give students 1–2 minutes to write down mathematical questions that could be
asked about the situation. Invite students to share their questions with the class, before
revealing the rest of the activity. Listen for an amplify questions that contain the phrase “at
least.”
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness; Support sense-making

Student Task Statement

1. Andre has a summer job selling magazine subscriptions. He earns $25 per week plus $3
for every subscription he sells. Andre hopes to make at least enough money this week
to buy a new pair of soccer cleats.

a. Let represent the number of magazine subscriptions Andre sells this week. Write
an expression for the amount of money he makes this week.

b. The least expensive pair of cleats Andre wants costs $68. Write and solve an
equation to find out how many magazine subscriptions Andre needs to sell to buy
the cleats.

c. If Andre sold 16 magazine subscriptions this week, would he reach his goal?
Explain your reasoning.

d. What are some other numbers of magazine subscriptions Andre could have sold
and still reached his goal?

e. Write an inequality expressing that Andre wants to make at least $68.

Unit 6 Lesson 14 193

 f. Write an inequality to describe the number of subscriptions Andre must sell to
reach his goal.

2. Diego has budgeted $35 from his summer job earnings to buy shorts and socks for
soccer. He needs 5 pairs of socks and a pair of shorts. The socks cost different amounts
in different stores. The shorts he wants cost $19.95.

a. Let represent the price of one pair of socks. Write an expression for the total cost
of the socks and shorts.

b. Write and solve an equation that says that Diego spent exactly $35 on the socks
and shorts.

c. List some other possible prices for the socks that would still allow Diego to stay
within his budget.

d. Write an inequality to represent the amount Diego can spend on a single pair of
socks.

Student Response
1. a.

b. ,

c. Yes. . He made $73, which is more than enough to buy the cleats.

d. Answers vary. Sample responses: 15, 17, 100. (Any whole number greater than 14 would
make sense.)

e.

f.

2. a.

b. , . In this situation, Diego paid $3.01 for each pair of socks.

c. Answers will vary. Any price under $3.01 is an acceptable response.

d. .

Activity Synthesis
Here is what we want students to understand as a result of this activity:
In order to find the solution to an inequality like , we can solve an equation to find the
point where . This is the point that separates numbers that are solutions to the
inequality from numbers that are not solutions. To find whether the solution to the inequality is
or , we can substitute some values of that are greater than and some that
are less than to check. Alternatively, we can think about the context: If Andre wants to make

194 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 more money, he needs to sell more magazines, not fewer. If Diego wants to spend less than $35, he
needs to spend less for socks, not more. Ask students:

• How does solving the equation help us solve an inequality? What does the solution tell us
about solutions to the inequality?

• What are some ways we can determine whether the solution to an inequality should use less
than or greater than?

• How can we check whether a value is a solution to the inequality?

• Could Andre sell exactly subscriptions?

• Can Diego pay exactly $3.01 for each pair of socks?

• How can we tell if there are restrictions on the solutions of the inequality, such as only positive
numbers or only whole numbers?

14.3 Granola Bars and Savings

15 minutes
The purpose of this activity is for students to interact with contexts in which the direction of
inequality is the opposite of what they might expect if they try to solve like they would with an
equation. For example, in the second problem, the original inequality is , but the
solution to the inequality is .

Some students might solve the associated equation and then test values
of to determine the direction of inequality. That method will be introduced in more generality in
the next lesson. This activity emphasizes thinking about the context in deciding the direction of
inequality.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. Give 5–10 minutes of quiet work time and partner discussion
followed by a whole-class discussion.

Student Task Statement

1. Kiran has $100 saved in a bank account. (The account doesn’t earn interest.) He asked
Clare to help him figure out how much he could take out each month if he needs to
have at least $25 in the account a year from now.

Unit 6 Lesson 14 195

 a. Clare wrote the inequality , where represents the amount Kiran
takes out each month. What does represent?

b. Find some values of that would work for Kiran.

c. We could express all the values that would work using either .
Which one should we use?

d. Write the answer to Kiran’s question using mathematical notation.

2. A teacher wants to buy 9 boxes of granola bars for a school trip. Each box usually costs
$7, but many grocery stores are having a sale on granola bars this week. Different
stores are selling boxes of granola bars at different discounts.

a. If represents the dollar amount of the discount, then the amount the teacher will
pay can be expressed as . In this expression, what does the quantity
represent?

b. The teacher has $36 to spend on the granola bars. The equation
represents a situation where she spends all $36. Solve this equation.

c. What does the solution mean in this situation?

d. The teacher does not have to spend all $36. Write an inequality relating 36 and
representing this situation.

e. The solution to this inequality must either look like . Which do you
think it is? Explain your reasoning.

Student Response
1. a. The difference in Kiran’s account balance after one year (because there are 12 months in
a year).

b. Answers vary. Sample responses: 1, 2, 6. (Any value less than or equal to 6.25 will work.)

c. __. Kiran must draw less than a certain amount each month in order to end up with
$25 in the account at the end of the year.

d. . Possible strategy: Solve the equation and then use the

reasoning in the previous problem part (or test values of ) to decide between and .

2. a. The price of 1 box after the discount.

b. . Possible strategy: divide each side by 9 resulting in , then notice that

is 4.

c. If the discount is $3, then the teacher will pay exactly $36 for the granola bars.

d. or

196 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 e. , because a discount higher than $3 per box will mean that the teacher will pay a
lower price for granola bars.

Are You Ready for More?

Jada and Diego baked a large batch of cookies.

• They selected of the cookies to give to their teachers.

• Next, they threw away one burnt cookie.
• They delivered of the remaining cookies to a local nursing home.
• Next, they gave 3 cookies to some neighborhood kids.
• They wrapped up of the remaining cookies to save for their friends.
After all this, they had 15 cookies left. How many cookies did they bake?

Student Response
108 cookies. Possible strategy: Draw a diagram to represent the situation:

Next, work backwards:

, ,

An equation that represents the number of cookies remaining would be . To

solve this equation, we would multiply by 3, add 3, multiply by , add 1, and then multiply by .
Compare these steps to the steps we took to solve with the diagram to see they are the same (note
that divide by 3, then multiply by 5 is the same as multiply by ).

Activity Synthesis
The purpose of the discussion is to let students voice their reasoning about the direction of the
inequality by reasoning about the context. Ask students to share their reasons for choosing the
direction of inequality in their solutions. Some students may notice that the algebra in both
problems involves multiplying or dividing by a negative number. Honor this observation, but again,
the goal is not to turn this observation into a rule for students to memorize and follow. Interpreting
the meaning of the solution in the context should remain at the forefront.

Unit 6 Lesson 14 197

 As students model real-world situations, questions about the interpretation of the mathematical
solution should continue to come up in the conversation. For instance, the amount of the granola
bar discount cannot be $3.5923, even though this is a solution to the inequality . The value -10
is a solution to Kiran’s inequality, even though he can’t withdraw -10 dollars. Students can argue
that negative values for simply don’t make sense in this context. Some may argue that we should
interpret to mean that Kiran deposits $10 every month.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Engagement: Develop Effort and Persistence. Break the class into small discussion groups and then
invite a representative from each group to report back to the whole class.
Supports accessibility for: Language; Social-emotional skills; Attention

Support for English Language Learners

Representing, Writing, Conversing: MLR8 Discussion Supports. Use this routine to support
whole-class discussion. After a student shares their reasons for the direction of the inequality
in their solution, ask students to restate and/or revoice what they heard using mathematical
language. Consider providing students time to restate what they hear to a partner, before
selecting one or two students to share with the class. Ask the original speaker if their peer was
accurately able to restate their thinking. This will help students understand how context
determines the direction of inequality.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making

Lesson Synthesis
By the time students have finished this lesson, they have reasoned about solutions to several
inequalities, all of which involve some kind of final decision about the direction of inequality. Return
to the ideas in the warm-up for the previous lesson. Draw the number line showing solutions to
on the board. Ask students to name some values of that satisfy the inequality. For each of
those values of , plot the value of on the number line together (perhaps in a different color).
What inequality did we just graph?

14.4 Colder and colder

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b

198 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Task Statement
It is currently 0 degrees outside, and the temperature is dropping 4 degrees every hour. The
temperature after hours is .

1. Explain what the equation represents.

2. What value of makes the equation true?

3. Explain what the inequality represents.

4. What values of make the inequality true?

Student Response
1. After hours, the temperature has dropped to -14 degrees.

2. . It takes 3.5 hours for the temperatures to drop to -14 degrees.

3. After hours, the temperature is less than or equal to -14 degrees.

4. . After reaching a temperature of -14 degrees at 3.5 hours, the temperature will
continue to decrease.

Student Lesson Summary

Suppose Elena has $5 and sells pens for $1.50 each. Her goal is to save $20. We could
solve the equation to find the number of pens, , that Elena needs to sell in
order to save exactly $20. Adding -5 to both sides of the equation gives us , and then
dividing both sides by gives the solution pens.

What if Elena wants to have some money left over? The inequality tells us that
the amount of money Elena makes needs to be greater than $20. The solution to the previous
equation will help us understand what the solutions to the inequality will be. We know that if
she sells 10 pens, she will make $20. Since each pen gives her more money, she needs to sell
more than 10 pens to make more than $20. So the solution to the inequality is .

Glossary
• solution to an inequality

Lesson 14 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
The solution to is either or . Which solution is correct? Explain
how you know.

Unit 6 Lesson 14 199

 Solution
. Sample reasoning: If I try -100 in place of , I get , which is true. Any value of that
is less than -10 makes the inequality true. refers to all values of that are less than -10.

Problem 2
Statement
The school band director determined from past experience that if they charge dollars for a
ticket to the concert, they can expect attendance of . The director used this model
to figure out that the ticket price needs to be $8 or greater in order for at least 600 to attend.
Do you agree with this claim? Why or why not?

Solution
No. Explanations vary. Sample response: If ticket prices are higher, fewer people will attend (this
can be seen by trying some different values of in ). 8 is the solution to
, but they need to charge $8 or less if they want 600 people or more to attend.

Problem 3
Statement
Which inequality is true when the value of is -3?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Solution
C
(From Unit 6, Lesson 13.)

Problem 4
Statement
Draw the solution set for each of the following inequalities.

a.

b.

200 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution

a.

b.

(From Unit 6, Lesson 13.)

Problem 5
Statement
Write three different equations that match the tape diagram.

Solution
Answers vary. Sample responses:

a.

b.

c.

(From Unit 6, Lesson 3.)

Problem 6
Statement
A baker wants to reduce the amount of sugar in his cake recipes. He decides to reduce the
amount used in 1 cake by cup. He then uses cups of sugar to bake 6 cakes.

a. Describe how the tape diagram represents the story.

b. How much sugar was originally in each cake recipe?

Unit 6 Lesson 14 201

 Solution
a. Answers vary. Sample response: The six equal parts of the diagram represent the 6 cakes the
baker bakes. The label in each part represents the amount of sugar, measured in
number of cups, that the baker used in each cake. represents the original amount of sugar
used in each cake and represents the original number of cups reduced by cup. is
the total amount of sugar, measured in cups, used for the 6 cakes.

b. cups

(From Unit 6, Lesson 2.)

Problem 7
Statement
One year ago, Clare was 4 feet 6 inches tall. Now Clare is 4 feet 10 inches tall. By what
percentage did Clare’s height increase in the last year?

Solution
About 7% (4 feet 6 inches is 54 inches and she grew 4 inches: )

(From Unit 4, Lesson 12.)

202 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 15: Efficiently Solving Inequalities
Goals
• Compare and contrast (orally) solutions to equations and solutions to inequalities.
• Draw and label a graph on the number line that represents all the solutions to an inequality.
• Generalize (orally) that you can solve an inequality of the form or by
solving the equation and then testing a value to determine the direction of the
inequality in the solution.

Learning Targets
• I can graph the solutions to an inequality on a number line.
• I can solve inequalities by solving a related equation and then checking which values are
solutions to the original inequality.

Lesson Narrative
In this lesson, students see more examples of inequalities. This time, many inequalities involve
negative coefficients. This reinforces the point that solving an inequality is not as simple as solving
the corresponding equation. After students find the boundary point, they must do some extra work
to figure out the direction of inequality. This might involve reasoning about the context, substituting
in values on either side of the boundary point, and reasoning about number lines. All of these
techniques exemplify MP1: making the problem more concrete and visual and asking, “Does this
make sense?”

It is important to understand that the goal is not to have students learn and practice an algorithm
for solving inequalities like “whenever you multiply or divide by a negative, flip the inequality.”
Rather, we want students to understand that solving a related equation tells you the lower or upper
bound of an inequality. To know whether values greater than or less than the boundary number
make the inequality true, it's best to test some values that are above and below the boundary
number. This way of reasoning about inequalities will serve students well long into their future
studies, whereas students are very likely to forget a procedure memorized for a special case.

Alignments
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4: Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and
construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the
quantities.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b: Solve word problems leading to inequalities of the form or ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Graph the solution set of the inequality and
interpret it in the context of the problem. For example: As a salesperson, you are paid $50 per

Unit 6 Lesson 15: Efficiently Solving Inequalities 203

 week plus $3 per sale. This week you want your pay to be at least $100. Write an inequality for
the number of sales you need to make, and describe the solutions.

Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• Think Pair Share
Student Learning Goals
Let’s solve more complicated inequalities.

15.1 Lots of Negatives

Warm Up: 5 minutes
This warm-up primes students for inequalities that include variables with negative coefficients
without context. Students first predict a solution set, and then are given some values to test so that
the solution emerges. Do not formalize a procedure for “flipping the inequality” when multiplying by
a negative. Look for students who predict solution sets that are incorrect because of the sign.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Launch
Give students 3 minutes of quiet work time followed by a whole-class discussion.

Student Task Statement

Here is an inequality: .

1. Predict what you think the solutions on the number line will look like.

2. Select all the values that are solutions to :

a. 3
b. -3
c. 4
d. -4
e. 4.001
f. -4.001

3. Graph the solutions to the inequality on the number line:

204 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Response
1. Answers vary.

2. a, b, c, d, f

3. A filled-in circle at 4 and all points to its left are graphed. The same graph that one would draw
for .

Activity Synthesis
The purpose of the discussion is to highlight how negatives in the inequality sometimes make it
hard to predict what the solutions will be. (It is important to reason carefully by first determining
the value for which both sides are equal and then testing points to determine which on side of that
value the solutions lie.) Select students to share how their predictions differed from their final
solutions. Consider asking how the solutions to are different from the solutions to .
(The solutions go in the opposite direction on the number line.)

15.2 Inequalities with Tables

15 minutes
The purpose of this activity is for students to get a visual feel for the relationship between an
unsimplified inequality ( ) and its solution ( ). The tables suggest a way for students to
see why the values of that satisfy should also satisfy . Graphing solutions on the
number line reinforces this connection. The second and third questions, taken together,
demonstrate how a negative coefficient can make the solutions to an inequality go “the other way.”
The work in this activity suggests a procedure for solving inequalities: solve the corresponding
equation, then test a number on either side. But the purpose of this activity is not to teach students
a procedure, but rather to provide underlying knowledge and experience.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Launch
A potentially challenging aspect of this task is that students must consider the two rows of a table at
different times and relate the values in the table to solutions of an inequality. Consider displaying a
table like this for all to see, and then asking some questions about it:

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

After students have had a chance to look at the table, ask them some familiarizing questions:

• How are the numbers in the top row and bottom row related?

Unit 6 Lesson 15: Efficiently Solving Inequalities 205

 • Think about the equation . What value of makes this true? Where do you see that
in the table?

• Think about the inequality . What vales of make this true? Where do you see that in
the table?

Give 5–10 minutes of quiet work time to complete the tables and questions followed by a
whole-class discussion. Depending on the needs of your class, you might instruct students to pause
after each question for discussion before continuing with the next question.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. Chunk this task into more manageable
parts to support students who benefit from support with organizational skills in problem
solving. For example, present one question at a time and monitor students to ensure they are
making progress throughout the activity. Consider pausing after the first question for a brief
class discussion before moving on.
Supports accessibility for: Organization; Attention

Anticipated Misconceptions
Some students may answer for the first question, since that is the place where the value of
first surpasses the number -2. Remind these students that there are values between 1 and 2.
Ask them whether 1.1 is a solution, for example.

Some students may graph only whole-number solutions. Ask these students to think about whether
values in between whole numbers are also solutions.

Student Task Statement

1. Let's investigate the inequality .

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

-7 -5 -1 1

a. Complete the table.

b. For which values of is it true that ?
c. For which values of is it true that ?
d. Graph the solutions to on the number line:

2. Here is an inequality: .

206 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 a. Predict which values of will make the inequality true.

b. Complete the table. Does it match your prediction?

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

c. Graph the solutions to on the number line:

3. Here is an inequality: .

a. Predict which values of will make the inequality true.

b. Complete the table. Does it match your prediction?

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

c. Graph the solutions to on the number line:

d. How are the solutions to different from the solutions to ?

Student Response
1. For
a. Table:

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1

b.

c.

d. The graph should have an open circle at with all values greater than 1 shaded.

2. For
a. Answers vary. Any value less than 3 will work.

Unit 6 Lesson 15: Efficiently Solving Inequalities 207

 b. Table:

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8

c. The graph should have an open circle at with all values less than 3 shaded.

3. For
a. Answers vary. Sample response: Based on the solution to , I predict that for
, the solutions will be values less than -3.

b. The table may or may not match the prediction.

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

8 6 4 2 0 -2 -4 -6 -8

c. The graph should have an open circle at , with all values greater than -3 shaded.

d. The solution to is all values less than 3, but the solution to is all values
greater than -3.

Activity Synthesis
The main take-away is that solving the associated equation to an inequality gives the value that is
the boundary between solutions and non-solutions. In this activity, students have a table to check
on which side of the boundary are solutions and which side are not solutions. In order to transition
to the next activity, ask students whether they need to complete an entire table to test on which side
of the boundary the solutions are. The goal is to get students to understand that they only need to
test one number. If that number is a solution, then all points on the same side of the boundary are
solutions. If the point is not a solution, then the solutions are all the points on the other side of the
boundary. The next activity will give students an opportunity to apply this insight and start to
articulate such a procedure.

Resist the temptation to summarize the last two problems into a procedure like “whenever you
multiply or divide by a negative, flip the inequality.”

15.3 Which Side are the Solutions?

15 minutes
In the previous activity, students saw that solving the equation associated with an inequality gives a
boundary point that separates values that make the inequality true from values that make the
inequality false. This activity builds on that understanding to solidify a process for solving
inequalities: first solve the associated equation to find the boundary point, then test a value to
determine on which side of that boundary the solutions lie. The first two questions offer more

208 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 scaffolding, and the last two questions simply give an inequality and ask students to solve and
graph.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Give 5–10 minutes of quiet work time, time to share their
responses and reasoning with a partner, and follow with a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Activate or supply background knowledge. Allow

students to use calculators to ensure inclusive participation in the activity.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Conceptual processing

Student Task Statement

1. Let’s investigate .
a. Solve .

b. Is true when is 0? What about when is 7? What about when is -7?

c. Graph the solutions to on the number line.

2. Let's investigate .
a. Solve .

b. Is true when is 0?

c. Graph the solutions to on the number line.

3. Solve the inequality and graph the solutions on the number line.

Unit 6 Lesson 15: Efficiently Solving Inequalities 209

 4. Solve the inequality and graph the solutions on the number line.

Student Response
1. For :
a. -5

b. No, no, yes

c. A closed circle at -5 and all values to the left shaded.

2. For :
a. (or equivalent)

b. Yes

c. An open circle at and all values to the left shaded.

3. The solution is . An open circle at 1.8 and all values to the right shaded.

4. The solution is . A closed circle at and all values to the right shaded.

Are You Ready for More?

Write at least three different inequalities whose solution is . Find one with on the left
side that uses a .

Student Response
Answers vary. Possible responses: , . Responses that involve : ,
.

Activity Synthesis
For each question, ask one student to demonstrate and explain their process for solving the
inequality. For each, highlight the moment when they find the boundary value (the solution to the
related equation) and then when they test one or more numbers on either side to decide which
side has values that make the inequality true.

210 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Representing, Conversing: MLR7 Compare and Connect. During the whole-class discussion, ask
students to discuss with their partner, what is the same and what is different between the
demonstrated processes for solving each inequality. To call students’ attention to the different
ways the boundary values were determined, ask students, “Which numbers can be used to
check the direction of the solution?” This will help students produce language, including
symbols, common to inequalities as they reason about procedures for solving inequalities.
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness; Cultivate conversation

Lesson Synthesis
By the time students have finished this lesson, they should have a variety of methods for solving
inequalities, all of which involve some kind of final decision about the direction of inequality.
Students will have had some summative practice with this in the final activity and the cool-down.

Ask students to consider, “What if someone asked for your help with how to solve inequalities?
What would you tell them? How would you describe to someone how to solve any inequality?” Ask
them to either write this down or share their thoughts with their partner. Consider creating a
persistent display showing the procedure using language the class develops, along with an
example.

15.4 Testing for Solutions

Cool Down: 5 minutes
The purpose of this cool-down is to check whether students can determine the direction of
inequality. The questions involve using algebra to find boundary points, then testing values of .
Since the boundary points are given, some students may skip directly to testing points.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4
Student Task Statement
For each inequality, decide whether the solution is represented by or .

1. 2.

Student Response
1.

2.

Unit 6 Lesson 15: Efficiently Solving Inequalities 211

 Student Lesson Summary
Here is an inequality: . The solution to this inequality is all the values you
could use in place of to make the inequality true.

In order to solve this, we can first solve the related equation to get the
solution . That means 2 is the boundary between values of that make the inequality
true and values that make the inequality false.

To solve the inequality, we can check numbers greater than 2 and less than 2 and see which
ones make the inequality true.

Let’s check a number that is greater than 2: . Replacing with 5 in the inequality, we get
or just . This is true, so is a solution. This means that all
values greater than 2 make the inequality true. We can write the solutions as and also
represent the solutions on a number line:

Notice that 2 itself is not a solution because it's the value of that makes equal to
18, and so it does not make true.

For confirmation that we found the correct solution, we can also test a value that is less than
2. If we test , we get or just . This is false, so and all
values of that are less than 2 are not solutions.

Lesson 15 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
a. Consider the inequality .
i. Predict which values of will make the inequality true.

ii. Complete the table to check your prediction.

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

b. Consider the inequality .

i. Predict which values of will make it true.

ii. Complete the table to check your prediction.

212 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

Solution
a. i.

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
ii.
-1.5 (or -0.5 (or 0.5 (or 1.5 (or
-2 -1 0 1 2
) ) ) )

b. i.

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
ii.
1.5 0.5 -0.5 (or -1.5 (or
2 1 0 -1 -2
(or ) (or ) ) )

Problem 2
Statement
Diego is solving the inequality . He solves the equation and
gets . What is the solution to the inequality?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Solution
B

Problem 3
Statement
Solve the inequality , and graph the solution on a number line.

Unit 6 Lesson 15: Efficiently Solving Inequalities 213

 Solution
a.

b. A number line with an open circle at 9 and the arrow going to the left

Problem 4
Statement
Select all values of that make the inequality true.

A. -3.9

B. 4

C. -4.01

D. -4

E. 4.01

F. 3.9

G. 0

H. -7

Solution
["C", "D", "H"]
(From Unit 6, Lesson 13.)

Problem 5
Statement
Draw the solution set for each of the following inequalities.

a.

b.

214 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution

a.

b.

(From Unit 6, Lesson 13.)

Problem 6
Statement
The price of a pair of earrings is $22 but Priya buys them on sale for $13.20.

a. By how much was the price discounted?

b. What was the percentage of the discount?

Solution
a. $8.80

b. 40%

(From Unit 4, Lesson 12.)

Unit 6 Lesson 15: Efficiently Solving Inequalities 215

 Lesson 16: Interpreting Inequalities
Goals
• Critique (orally) a solution method for a problem involving an inequality.
• Identify the inequality that represents a situation, and justify (in writing) the choice.
• Present (orally, in writing, and using other representations) the solution method for a problem
involving an inequality, and interpret the solution.

Learning Targets
• I can match an inequality to a situation it represents, solve it, and then explain what the
solution means in the situation.

• If I have a situation and an inequality that represents it, I can explain what the parts of the
inequality mean in the situation.

Lesson Narrative
In this lesson and the next, we move on to applying inequalities to solve problems. The warm-up is
a review of the work in the previous lesson about solving inequalities when no context is given.
Then students interpret and solve inequalities that represent real-life situations, making sense of
quantities and their relationships in the problem (MP2).

Alignments
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b: Solve word problems leading to inequalities of the form or ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Graph the solution set of the inequality and
interpret it in the context of the problem. For example: As a salesperson, you are paid $50 per
week plus $3 per sale. This week you want your pay to be at least $100. Write an inequality for
the number of sales you need to make, and describe the solutions.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b: Solve word problems leading to inequalities of the form or ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Graph the solution set of the inequality and
interpret it in the context of the problem. For example: As a salesperson, you are paid $50 per
week plus $3 per sale. This week you want your pay to be at least $100. Write an inequality for
the number of sales you need to make, and describe the solutions.

Instructional Routines
• Group Presentations
• MLR2: Collect and Display
• MLR7: Compare and Connect

216 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Required Materials
Tools for creating a visual display paper and markers, whiteboard space and
Any way for students to create work that can be markers, shared online drawing tool, access to a
easily displayed to the class. Examples: chart document camera.

Student Learning Goals

Let’s write inequalities.

16.1 Solve Some Inequalities!

Warm Up: 5 minutes
This warm-up is an opportunity for students to recall understandings and techniques from the
previous lesson.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Launch
Optionally, provide access to blank number lines.

Anticipated Misconceptions
If students express the solution in words or by graphing on a number line, applaud their use of
these representations. Encourage them to attempt to express the solution using the efficient
notation, as well. Direct their attention to any anchor charts or notes that remind them of the
meaning of the symbols involved.

Student Task Statement

For each inequality, find the value or values of that make it true.

1.

2.

Student Response
1.

2.

Activity Synthesis
Ask one student to share their process for reasoning about a solution to each problem. Address
and resolve any discrepancies that arise.

Unit 6 Lesson 16: Interpreting Inequalities 217

 16.2 Club Activities Matching
10 minutes
In this activity, students analyze four situations and select the inequality that best represents the
situation. (In the activity that follows, students will work in small groups to create a visual display
showing the solution for one of these situations.)

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Instructional Routines
• MLR2: Collect and Display
Launch
Tell students that their job in this activity is to read four situations carefully and decide which
inequality best represents the situation. In the next activity, they will be responsible for writing a
solution for one of these situations. Give 5–10 minutes of quiet work time.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Demonstrate and encourage students to use color

coding and annotations to highlight connections between representations in a problem. For
example, use the same color to highlight key words or phrases in the situation with its
corresponding inequality sign in the matching inequality.
Supports accessibility for: Visual-spatial processing

Support for English Language Learners

Reading, Representing: MLR2 Collect and Display. As students work, circulate and collect examples
of words and phrases students use in their written response to "Explain your reasoning" for
each question. Look for different ways students describe what the variable represents, how
they know which number is the constant term, how they know which number should be
multiplied by the variable, and the direction of the inequality symbol that makes sense for each
context. Organize the phrases for each of these considerations and display for all to see. This
will help students to focus on all of the important elements of the inequality they are assigned
in the next activity, with language they can use in small group discussions.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making; Maximize meta-awareness

Student Task Statement

Choose the inequality that best matches each given situation. Explain your reasoning.

218 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 1. The Garden Club is planting fruit trees in their school’s garden. There is one large tree
that needs 5 pounds of fertilizer. The rest are newly planted trees that need pound
fertilizer each.
a.

b.

c.

d.

2. The Chemistry Club is experimenting with different mixtures of water with a certain
chemical (sodium polyacrylate) to make fake snow.
To make each mixture, the students start with some amount of water, and then add
of that amount of the chemical, and then 9 more grams of the chemical. The chemical is
expensive, so there can’t be more than a certain number of grams of the chemical in
any one mixture.
a.

b.

c.

d.

3. The Hiking Club is on a hike down a cliff. They begin at an elevation of 12 feet and
descend at the rate of 3 feet per minute.
a.

b.

c.

d.

4. The Science Club is researching boiling points. They learn that at high altitudes, water
boils at lower temperatures. At sea level, water boils at . With each increase of 500
feet in elevation, the boiling point of water is lowered by about .
a.

b.

c.

d.

Unit 6 Lesson 16: Interpreting Inequalities 219

 Student Response
1. b, because a pound for each of an unknown number of trees, plus 5 pounds of fertilizer, is
less than or equal to 25, which is likely the maximum amount of fertilizer available.

2. a, because of the amount of water plus 9 grams is the amount of the chemical used. This
total must be less than 26.25 grams, which is likely the maximum amount of the chemical that
can be used in a mixture.

3. c, because they start at 12 feet and then lose 3 feet per minute. If is the number of minutes
they hike, then is the change in elevation. Their elevation must be above -37 feet; perhaps
this is the bottom of the cliff.

4. a, because the boiling point is 212 at sea level, and decreases of a degree for every foot of
elevation. The solution will tell us for which elevations the temperature is below 195 degrees.

Activity Synthesis
At this time, consider not validating which inequalities are correct. When students get into groups
for the next activity, they can compare their responses with the members of their groups and
resolve any discrepancies at that time.

16.3 Club Activities Display

20 minutes
In this activity, students interpret parts of an inequality in context, term by term; for example, what
quantity must represent? Then they make sense of the entire inequality by thinking about what
question would be answered by the solution to the inequality. Notice groups that create displays
that communicate their mathematical thinking clearly, contain an error that would be instructive to
discuss, or organize the information in a way that is useful for all to see. At this point, there is very
little scaffolding for the solving of the inequality itself.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Instructional Routines
• Group Presentations
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2–3 and provide tools for making a visual display. Assign one
situation to each group. Note that the level of difficulty increases for the situations, so this is an
opportunity to differentiate by assigning more or less challenging situations to different groups.

220 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Engagement: Develop Effort and Persistence. Provide prompts, reminders, guides, rubrics, or
checklists that focus on increasing the length of on-task orientation in the face of distractions.
For example, create an exemplar display including all required components, highlighting
different ways to communicate mathematical thinking clearly.
Supports accessibility for: Attention; Social-emotional skills

Student Task Statement

Your teacher will assign your group one of the situations from the last task. Create a visual
display about your situation. In your display:

• Explain what the variable and each part of the inequality represent
• Write a question that can be answered by the solution to the inequality
• Show how you solved the inequality
• Explain what the solution means in terms of the situation
Student Response
1. ◦ represents the number of small trees that can be fertilized with the remaining fertilizer.
5 is the number of pounds of fertilizer for the large tree. represents the number of
pounds of fertilizer needed to grow small trees. 25 is the total weight of fertilizer
available in pounds.

◦ How many small trees can be planted with the available fertilizer?
◦ , ,

◦ Up to 40 small trees can be planted with the fertilizer available.

2. ◦ represents the amount (in grams) of water used in a given mixture. represents
the amount of chemical (in grams) that is added to the water.

◦ How much water can you start with so that you don’t use up too much of the chemical?
◦ , , .

◦ In order to make a mixture that doesn’t use too much of the chemical, you have to start
with 120.75 grams of water or less.

3. ◦ represents the elevation lost each minute. is the number of minutes the students
have been hiking. is the amount of elevation loss after minutes. 12 is the initial
elevation. represents the students’ elevation after hiking for minutes.
represents the elevation at the bottom of the cliff: 37 feet below sea level.

Unit 6 Lesson 16: Interpreting Inequalities 221

 ◦ What are the times during which the students are hiking toward the bottom of the cliff?
◦ , ,

◦ The students hike for a time period of minutes, at which point they come to the
bottom of the cliff.

4. ◦ represents the change in the boiling point of water after a

1-foot increase in elevation. is the boiling point of water at elevation .

◦ At which elevations is the boiling point of water below 195 degrees?

◦ , ,

◦ At elevations greater than 8500 feet, the boiling point of water is less than 195 degrees.
Are You Ready for More?
is a set of four consecutive integers whose sum is 18.

1. How many sets of three consecutive integers are there whose sum is between 51 and
60? Can you be sure you’ve found them all? Explain or show your reasoning.

2. How many sets of four consecutive integers are there whose sum is between 59 and 82?
Can you be sure you’ve found them all? Explain or show your reasoning.

Student Response
Both of these problems can be solved by intelligent guess-and-check, or other more conceptual
strategies, and by using the first answer one finds to generate the others. If students use these
strategies, help them to crystalize their reasoning: how do they know they have all of the sets? Also
encourage students to see if they can write inequalities in addition (not instead of!) whatever
strategies they use.

1. 4 sets: , , ,
and , .

2. 5 sets: , , , , .
and ,
.

Activity Synthesis
Select groups to share their visual displays. Encourage students to ask questions about the
mathematical thinking or design approach that went into creating the display. Here are questions
for discussion, if not already mentioned by students:

222 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 • How did you figure out what the term represents?

• How did you decide on the direction of the inequality for the solutions?
• Did anyone with the same problem do one of the steps differently? Share what you did
differently so we can learn from what happened.

• How do you know there are 25 pounds of fertilizer available?

Alternatively, have students do a “gallery walk” in which they leave written feedback on sticky notes
for the other groups. Here is guidance for the kind of feedback students should aim to give each
other:

• What is one thing that group did that would have made your project better if you had done it?
• What is one thing your group did that would have improved their project if they did it too?
• How did the group decide the direction of inequality for the solutions?
• Does their answer make sense in the situation?
• Is their mathematics clear and correct?
• If there was a mistake, what could they be more careful about in similar problems?

Support for English Language Learners

Representing, Conversing: MLR7 Compare and Connect. During the launch, make sure at least two
groups are assigned to each situation (assign fewer contexts if there are fewer than 8 groups).
Assign groups who worked on the same situation to review each other's display. Ask groups to
look closely at how the inequality was solved, then to identify and discuss what is the same and
what is different, compared to their own display. If the other group’s solution is the same,
students should compare the strategies used. If the solution is different, students should look
any errors in reasoning, either in their own or the other group’s method. Ask each group leave
a comment on a sticky note that describes the comparison they discussed. This will help
students make sense of the reasoning of others by interpreting work that is similar to their
own.
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness; Support sense-making

Lesson Synthesis
In this lesson, we saw how inequalities can be applied to real-world situations. Some questions to
bring this work together:

• Suppose your friend asks you to write some practice problems for solving inequalities. You
want to write an inequality that has a solution of . Describe how to write such an
inequality.

Unit 6 Lesson 16: Interpreting Inequalities 223

 • Think about an after-school activity in which you are involved. Write an inequality that
represents a situation related to that activity. Be prepared to share the inequality and an
explanation of its terms with the class.

If time allows, have students solve their inequalities.

16.4 Party Decorations

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Student Task Statement
Andre is making paper cranes to decorate for a party. He plans to make one large paper
crane for a centerpiece and several smaller paper cranes to put around the table. It takes
Andre 10 minutes to make the centerpiece and 3 minutes to make each small crane. He will
only have 30 minutes to make the paper cranes once he gets home.

1. Andre wrote the inequality to plan his time. Describe what , , 10, and
30 represent in this inequality.

2. Solve Andre’s inequality and explain what the solution means.

Student Response
1. The variable represents the number of small paper cranes Andre will make. 10 is the number
of minutes it takes to make the centerpiece.
is the amount of time it takes to make small cranes (it takes 3 minutes to make one
crane). 30 is Andre’s time limit in minutes.

2. . Andre can make 6 or fewer small cranes.

Student Lesson Summary

We can represent and solve many real-world problems with inequalities. Writing the
inequalities is very similar to writing equations to represent a situation. The expressions that
make up the inequalities are the same as the ones we have seen in earlier lessons for
equations. For inequalities, we also have to think about how expressions compare to each
other, which one is bigger, and which one is smaller. Can they also be equal?

For example, a school fundraiser has a minimum target of $500. Faculty have donated $100
and there are 12 student clubs that are participating with different activities. How much
money should each club raise to meet the fundraising goal? If is the amount of money that
each club raises, then the solution to is the minimum amount each club has
to raise to meet the goal. It is more realistic, though, to use the inequality
since the more money we raise, the more successful the fundraiser will be. There are many

224 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 solutions because there are many different amounts of money the clubs could raise that
would get us above our minimum goal of $500.

Lesson 16 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
Priya looks at the inequality and says “I subtract a number from 12 and want a
result that is bigger than 5. That means that the solutions should be values of that are
smaller than something.”

Do you agree with Priya? Explain your reasoning and include solutions to the inequality in
your explanation.

Solution
Yes, Priya is correct. Explanations vary. Sample response: Try subtracting different numbers from
12. For example, is larger than because subtracting 3 is subtracting less. When ,
the inequality is not true anymore, but for anything smaller than 7, it is still true. The solution to the
inequality is .

Problem 2
Statement
When a store had sold of the shirts that were on display, they brought out another 30 from
the stockroom. The store likes to keep at least 150 shirts on display. The manager wrote the
inequality to describe the situation.

a. Explain what means in the inequality.

b. Solve the inequality.

c. Explain what the solution means in the situation.

Solution
Answers vary. Sample responses:

a. Since of the original shirts were sold, of the original shirts remain on display.

b. , ,

c. There were 200 or more shirts originally on display. At least 120 were left when they brought
out 30 more.

Unit 6 Lesson 16: Interpreting Inequalities 225

 Problem 3
Statement
You know is a number less than 4. Select all the inequalities that must be true.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Solution
["B", "C", "E"]
(From Unit 6, Lesson 13.)

Problem 4
Statement
Here is an unbalanced hanger.

a. If you knew each circle weighed 6 grams, what would that tell you about the weight of
each triangle? Explain your reasoning.

b. If you knew each triangle weighed 3 grams, what would that tell you about the weight of
each circle? Explain your reasoning.

Solution
a. The triangles would weigh more than 4 grams each. The 3 triangles weigh more than 2 circles.
The 2 circles weigh 12 grams, so that means each triangle would weigh more than 4 grams.

b. The circles would weigh less than grams each. The 3 triangles weigh 9 grams and this is
more than 2 circles. So each circle weighs less than grams.

226 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 (From Unit 6, Lesson 13.)

Problem 5
Statement
Match each sentence with the inequality that could represent the situation.

A. Han got $2 from Clare, but still has less 1.

than $20.
2.
B. Mai spent $2 and has less than $20.
3.
C. If Tyler had twice the amount of money
he has, he would have less than $20. 4.

D. If Priya had half the money she has, she

would have less than $20.

Solution
◦ A: 3
◦ B: 1
◦ C: 2
◦ D: 4
(From Unit 6, Lesson 13.)

Problem 6
Statement
At a skateboard shop:

a. The price tag on a shirt says $12.58. Sales tax is 7.5% of the price. How much will you
pay for the shirt?

b. The store buys a helmet for $19.00 and sells it for $31.50. What percentage was the
markup?

c. The shop pays workers $14.25 per hour plus 5.5% commission. If someone works 18
hours and sells $250 worth of merchandise, what is the total amount of their paycheck
for this pay period? Explain or show your reasoning.

Solution
a. $13.52

Unit 6 Lesson 16: Interpreting Inequalities 227

 b. 65.8% or 66%

c. $270.25, because .

(From Unit 4, Lesson 12.)

228 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 17: Modeling with Inequalities
Goals
• Critique (orally) the solution to an inequality, including whether fractional or negative values
are reasonable.

• Determine what information is needed to solve a problem involving a quantity constrained by

a maximum or minimum acceptable value. Ask questions to elicit that information.

• Write and solve an inequality of the form or to answer a question about

a situation with a constraint.

Learning Targets
• I can use what I know about inequalities to solve real-world problems.
Lesson Narrative
By now, students have had plenty of experience writing and solving inequalities. This lesson focuses
on the modeling process (MP4), in which students start with a question they want to answer and
decide on their own how they will represent the situation mathematically.

As students apply inequalities in context, they must think about how to interpret their solutions. For
instance, if they find that , but represents the number of students who can go on a trip, then
they should realize that cannot be 3.25, nor can be -2.

Alignments
Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b: Solve word problems leading to inequalities of the form or ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Graph the solution set of the inequality and
interpret it in the context of the problem. For example: As a salesperson, you are paid $50 per
week plus $3 per sale. This week you want your pay to be at least $100. Write an inequality for
the number of sales you need to make, and describe the solutions.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b: Solve word problems leading to inequalities of the form or ,
where , , and are specific rational numbers. Graph the solution set of the inequality and
interpret it in the context of the problem. For example: As a salesperson, you are paid $50 per
week plus $3 per sale. This week you want your pay to be at least $100. Write an inequality for
the number of sales you need to make, and describe the solutions.

Instructional Routines
• MLR4: Information Gap Cards
• MLR6: Three Reads

Unit 6 Lesson 17: Modeling with Inequalities 229

 • Think Pair Share
Required Materials
Pre-printed slips, cut from copies of the blackline master

Required Preparation
Print and cut up copies of the blackline master for the Giving Advice activity. You will need one set
of cards for every 4 students.

Student Learning Goals

Let's look at solutions to inequalities.

17.1 Possible Values

Warm Up: 5 minutes
The purpose of this warm-up is for students to interpret an inequality in a real-world situation and
reason about the quantities in its solution. Some of the statements involve reasoning about the
how a sandwich shop sells its sandwiches, however, the focus of the discussion should be on the
meaning of the solution to the inequality. Students should reason that they cannot order anything
more than 13.86 sandwiches, but can order any amount less than 13.86 sandwiches.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Instructional Routines
• Think Pair Share
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Give students 2 minutes of quiet work time followed by 1 minute
to compare their responses with a partner. Follow with a whole-class discussion.

Anticipated Misconceptions
Some students may think of 13.86 sandwiches as 14 whole sandwiches because it rounds to that
number, and 13.86 doesn’t make sense to them in the context of sandwiches. It may be helpful for
these students to use a calculator to find the cost of 14 sandwiches to see that is not a solution to
the inequality. Tell these students that, although sandwich shops may not sell sandwiches in
fractional pieces, the maximum amount that can be ordered is 13.86.

Student Task Statement

The stage manager of the school musical is trying to figure out how many sandwiches he can
order with the $83 he collected from the cast and crew. Sandwiches cost $5.99 each, so he
lets represent the number of sandwiches he will order and writes . He solves this
to 2 decimal places, getting .

230 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Which of these are valid statements about this situation? (Select all that apply.)

1. He can call the sandwich shop and order exactly 13.86 sandwiches.

2. He can round up and order 14 sandwiches.

3. He can order 12 sandwiches.

4. He can order 9.5 sandwiches.

5. He can order 2 sandwiches.

6. He can order -4 sandwiches.

Student Response
He can order 12, 2, and maybe 9.5 sandwiches.

13.86: Probably not: it is unlikely a sandwich shop would sell precisely .86 of a sandwich.

14: No. The solution of means that 14 sandwiches would cost more than the $83 the
group can spend.

12: Yes. The solution of means that 12 sandwiches will cost less than (or equal to) $83.

9.5: Possibly. The sandwich shop may sell half sandwiches for half the price of a whole sandwich.

2: Yes. At a glance, 2 sandwiches will cost much less than $83.

-4: No. Though and -4 is a numerical solution to the inequality, it does not make sense to
order -4 sandwiches.

Activity Synthesis
Poll the class about whether they think each statement is valid. Ask a student to explain why the
invalid statements don’t work.Record and display their responses for all to see.

For each statement, students should mention the following ideas:

1. Even though 13.86 makes the inequality true, most sandwich shops would not let you order
13.86 sandwiches.

2. He doesn’t have enough money to order 14 sandwiches. He has to order a number of

sandwiches that is less than or equal to 13.86.

3. Works.

4. Might be okay if the shop allows you to order sandwiches

in -sandwich increments.

5. Works.

6. Even though -4 makes the inequality true, that value doesn’t make sense in this context.

Unit 6 Lesson 17: Modeling with Inequalities 231

 17.2 Elevator
15 minutes
This problem is an introduction to the series of modeling problems in the next activity. Here,
students read a question and are prompted to think about what extra information they would need
to solve it (MP4). Then they write and solve inequalities to answer the question.

The context in this problem provides an opportunity for students to think about aspects of
mathematical modeling like discrete versus continuous solutions and rounding. Make sure to touch
on these topics in discussion before moving on to the next activity.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Instructional Routines
• MLR6: Three Reads
Launch
Ask students to close their books or devices or to leave them closed. Present this scenario verbally
or display for all to see:

“A mover is loading an elevator with identical boxes. He wants to take all the boxes up the elevator
at once, but he is worried about overloading the elevator. What are all the possibilities for the
number of boxes the mover can take on the elevator at once?”

Give students a few minutes of quiet think time to brainstorm what information they would need to
answer this question, followed by 1–2 minutes to discuss with a partner. Ask a few students to
share their questions with the class and record them for all to see.

Then, ask students to open their books or devices to this activity and use the given information to
help solve the problem.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Engagement: Develop Effort and Persistence. Encourage and support opportunities for peer
interactions. Prior to the whole-class discussion, invite students to share their work with a
partner. Display sentence frames to support student conversation such as “I chose to use the
_____ inequality sign because...”, “Why did you...?”, “I agree/disagree because…”, or “The solution
means that the mover…”
Supports accessibility for: Language; Social-emotional skills

232 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Reading; Representing: MLR6 Three Reads. Use this routine to support reading comprehension of
this word problem, without solving it for students. In the first read, have students read a
display of the description of the scenario posed in the Activity Launch. Ask students, "What is
this situation about?" (A mover is loading boxes in an elevator.). In the second read, ask
students to brainstorm the important quantities by identifying what can be counted or
measured in this situation. Sample quantities include: number of boxes, size(s) of the boxes,
size of the elevator, weight of each box, weight limit of the elevator, weight of the mover. In the
third read, ask students to read the actual problems and work with a partner to brainstorm
strategies to write an inequality that can represent the relationship among the number of
boxes, the total weight of the boxes and the mover, and the weight limit of the elevator. Invite
students to sketch a diagram of these quantities. This helps students connect the language in
the word problem and the reasoning needed to write an inequality for this situation.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making

Student Task Statement

A mover is loading an elevator with many identical 48-pound boxes.
The mover weighs 185 pounds. The elevator can carry at most 2000 pounds.

1. Write an inequality that says that the mover will not overload the elevator on a
particular ride. Check your inequality with your partner.

2. Solve your inequality and explain what the solution means.

3. Graph the solution to your inequality on a number line.

4. If the mover asked, “How many boxes can I load on this elevator at a time?” what would
you tell them?

Student Response
1. , where is the number of identical boxes.

2. so the mover can put 37 or fewer boxes on the elevator.

3. Number line shows whole numbers 37 or less.

4. Answers vary. Sample response: 37 or fewer boxes.

Activity Synthesis
Many issues will come up in the discussion of this problem that will recur throughout the lesson.
Some examples:

Unit 6 Lesson 17: Modeling with Inequalities 233

 • “How can we represent the solution on a number line? Is 5.5 a solution?” (Not in the context of
this problem; you can’t have a half a box.)

• “Do we want to change the number line somehow to show this?”

(We could plot discrete points, or we could simply leave it as is, but just know that for a
problem with this context, we’re only going to use integer solutions.)

• “Which type of inequality would you use to describe answers using no more than or no less
than?” ( and , respectively.)

• “How did you know which way to round?” (Round down, otherwise you’ve gone over the
weight limit.)

• “What other limitations do the contexts place on the solutions?”

(You must have a positive number of boxes.)

17.3 Info Gap: Giving Advice

15 minutes
In this activity, students set up and solve inequalities that represent real-life situations. Students will
think about how to interpret their mathematical solutions. For example, if they use to represent
width in centimeters and find , does that mean is a solution to the inequality?

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Instructional Routines
• MLR4: Information Gap Cards
Launch
Tell students they will practice using their knowledge of inequalities to think about specific
situations and interpret what their solutions mean in those situations. Ask students to represent
their solution using words, an inequality, and a graph. Arrange students in groups of 2. If necessary,
demonstrate the protocol for an Info Gap activity. In each group, distribute a problem card to one
student and a data card to the other student. Give students who finish early a different pair of cards
and ask them to switch roles.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Engagement: Develop Effort and Persistence. Display or provide students with a physical copy of
the written directions. Check for understanding by inviting students to rephrase directions in
their own words. Keep the display of directions visible throughout the activity.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Organization

234 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Conversing: This activity uses MLR4 Information Gap to give students a purpose for discussing
information necessary for solving problems involving inequalities. Display questions or
question starters for students who need a starting point such as: “Can you tell me . . . (specific
piece of information)”, and “Why do you need to know . . . (that piece of information)?"
Design Principle(s): Cultivate conversation

Anticipated Misconceptions
If students do not know where to start, suggest that they first identify the quantity that should be
variable and choose a letter to represent it.
In Elena’s problem, it may help to remind students that they know how to write a formula for the
area of a rectangle.

Student Task Statement

Your teacher will give you either a problem card or a data card. Do not show or read your card
to your partner.

If your teacher gives you the problem card: If your teacher gives you the data card:

1. Silently read your card and think about 1. Silently read your card.
what information you need to be able to
2. Ask your partner “What specific
answer the question.
information do you need?” and wait for
2. Ask your partner for the specific them to ask for information.
information that you need.
If your partner asks for information that
3. Explain how you are using the is not on the card, do not do the
information to solve the problem. calculations for them. Tell them you don’t
have that information.
Continue to ask questions until you have
enough information to solve the 3. Before sharing the information, ask “Why
problem. do you need that information?”

4. Share the problem card and solve the Listen to your partner’s reasoning and
problem independently. ask clarifying questions.
5. Read the data card and discuss your 4. Read the problem card and solve the
reasoning. problem independently.

5. Share the data card and discuss your

reasoning.

Pause here so your teacher can review your work. Ask your teacher for a new set of cards
and repeat the activity, trading roles with your partner.

Unit 6 Lesson 17: Modeling with Inequalities 235

 Student Response
1. a. , .

b. Number lines may vary. Some may have a closed (or open?) circle at a point representing
, with an arrow extending to the left. Some may have closed dots on each integer
less than 22.

c. Noah’s family can wash 21 or fewer loads of laundry before having to add more money
to the card (assuming they don’t also use the card to pay for drying the clothes).

2. a. , .

b. All number lines will have a closed circle at . Some may have arrows extending
indefinitely to the left. Others may extend an arrow to the left, but stop at zero.

c. Elena can choose widths between very close to zero and 25.5 centimeters.

Are You Ready for More?

In a day care group, nine babies are five months old and 12 babies are seven months old.
How many full months from now will the average age of the 21 babies first surpass 20
months old?

Student Response
14 months. Right now, the sum of all their ages is 129, because . After
months, the sum of all the babies' ages will have increased by . For 21 babies to have an average
age of 20 months, the sum of all their ages would need to be 420 months, because .
Solving the inequality we get .

Activity Synthesis
As the groups report on their work, encourage other students to think and ask questions about
whether the answers are plausible. If students do not naturally raise these questions, consider
asking:

• In Noah’s problem, is 1.5 loads of laundry a solution to the inequality?

• In Elena’s problem, can the width of the frame be -10 centimeters? Can the width of the frame
be 0 centimeters? How about 0.1 centimeters?

Other questions for discussion:

• Which situations are discrete (have only whole-number solutions)?

• In Noah’s problem, should we round up or down?

236 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson Synthesis
In the last few lessons, students have seen a variety of situations in which inequalities described
situations. Ask students to think about a career they might be interested in pursuing and have them
write a few sentences about the usefulness of inequalities in the work of that profession, including
at least one example. Ask them to think about whether inequalities are sometimes more helpful
than equations, and if so, why.

17.4 Movies on a Hard Drive

Cool Down: 5 minutes
This cool-down checks through error analysis to determine whether students can interpret
solutions to an inequality in context.

Addressing
• 7.EE.B.4.b
Student Task Statement
Elena is trying to figure out how many movies she can download to her hard drive. The hard
drive is supposed to hold 500 gigabytes of data, but 58 gigabytes are already taken up by
other files. Each movie is 8 gigabytes. Elena wrote the inequality and solved it
to find the solution .

1. Explain how you know Elena made a mistake based on her solution.

2. Fix Elena’s inequality and explain what each part of the inequality means.

Student Response
1. means Elena has to put more than 55 movies on her hard drive. This doesn’t make
sense because there should be a maximum limit on movies rather than a minimum limit.

2. The correct inequality is . The number 8 represents the size of each movie. The
variable represents the number of movies that Elena downloads. The represents that
the number of gigabytes can’t exceed 500.

Student Lesson Summary

We can represent and solve many real-world problems with inequalities. Whenever we write
an inequality, it is important to decide what quantity we are representing with a variable.
After we make that decision, we can connect the quantities in the situation to write an
expression, and finally, the whole inequality.

As we are solving the inequality or equation to answer a question, it is important to keep the
meaning of each quantity in mind. This helps us to decide if the final answer makes sense in
the context of the situation.

Unit 6 Lesson 17: Modeling with Inequalities 237

 For example: Han has 50 centimeters of wire and wants to make a square picture frame with
a loop to hang it that uses 3 centimeters for the loop. This situation can be represented by
, where is the length of each side (if we want to use all the wire). We can also
use if we want to allow for solutions that don’t use all the wire. In this case, any
positive number that is less or equal to 11.75 cm is a solution to the inequality. Each solution
represents a possible side length for the picture frame since Han can bend the wire at any
point. In other situations, the variable may represent a quantity that increases by whole
numbers, such as with numbers of magazines, loads of laundry, or students. In those cases,
only whole-number solutions make sense.

Lesson 17 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
28 students travel on a field trip. They bring a van that can seat 12 students. Elena and Kiran’s
teacher asks other adults to drive cars that seat 3 children each to transport the rest of the
students.

Elena wonders if she should use the inequality or to figure out

how many cars are needed. Kiran doesn’t think it matters in this case. Do you agree with
Kiran? Explain your reasoning.

Solution
Sample explanation: Yes, it doesn’t matter. In this case represents a number of cars, so only whole
number values of make sense for the situation, and there can’t be fractions of cars.
has the solution , so the number of cars needed is 6.

Problem 2
Statement
a. In the cafeteria, there is one large 10-seat table and many smaller 4-seat tables. There
are enough tables to fit 200 students. Write an inequality whose solution is the possible
number of 4-seat tables in the cafeteria.

b. 5 barrels catch rainwater in the schoolyard. Four barrels are the same size, and the fifth
barrel holds 10 liters of water. Combined, the 5 barrels can hold at least 200 liters of
water. Write an inequality whose solution is the possible size of each of the 4 barrels.

c. How are these two problems similar? How are they different?

Solution
a.

b.

238 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 c. Solutions to the first inequality must be whole numbers greater or equal to 47.5 because a
solution represents a number of tables. Solutions to the second inequality can be any number
greater or equal to 47.5 because a solution represents the volume of a bucket, which can be a
whole number or not.

Problem 3
Statement
Solve each equation.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

Solution
a.

b.

c.

d.

e. (or equivalent)

(From Unit 6, Lesson 9.)

Problem 4
Statement
Select all the inequalities that have the same graph as .

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Unit 6 Lesson 17: Modeling with Inequalities 239

 Solution
["B", "C"]
(From Unit 6, Lesson 13.)

Problem 5
Statement
A 200 pound person weighs 33 pounds on the Moon.

a. How much did the person’s weight decrease?

b. By what percentage did the person’s weight decrease?

Solution
a. 167 pounds

b. About 84% ( )

(From Unit 4, Lesson 12.)

240 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 18: Subtraction in Equivalent Expressions
Goals
• Explain (orally, in writing, and using other representations) how the distributive and
commutative properties apply to expressions with negative coefficients.

• Justify (orally and in writing) whether expressions are equivalent, including rewriting
subtraction as adding the opposite.

Learning Targets
• I can organize my work when I use the distributive property.
• I can re-write subtraction as adding the opposite and then rearrange terms in an expression.
Lesson Narrative
Previously in this unit, students solved equations of the form and
Sometimes, work has to be done on a more complicated expression to get an equation into one of
these forms. And sometimes, it is desirable to rewrite an expression in an equivalent form to
understand how the quantities it represents are related. This work has some pitfalls when the
expression has negative numbers or subtraction. For example, it is common for people to rewrite
as by reading “ minus” and so subtracting the from the Another
example is rewriting an expression like as Students do not see
expressions as complicated as these in this lesson (they are coming in the next few lessons), but
this lesson is meant to inoculate students against errors like these by reminding them that while
subtraction is not commutative, addition is, and subtraction can be rewritten as adding the
opposite. So in our example, can be rewritten and then rearranged
Likewise, can be rewritten before distributing -2.

Alignments
Building On
• 7.NS.A.1.c: Understand subtraction of rational numbers as adding the additive inverse,
. Show that the distance between two rational numbers on the number line is
the absolute value of their difference, and apply this principle in real-world contexts.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1: Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand
linear expressions with rational coefficients.

• 7.NS.A.1: Apply and extend previous understandings of addition and subtraction to add and
subtract rational numbers; represent addition and subtraction on a horizontal or vertical
number line diagram.

Unit 6 Lesson 18 241

 • 7.NS.A.1.c: Understand subtraction of rational numbers as adding the additive inverse,
. Show that the distance between two rational numbers on the number line is
the absolute value of their difference, and apply this principle in real-world contexts.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.A.1: Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand
linear expressions with rational coefficients.

Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Number Talk
Student Learning Goals
Let's find ways to work with subtraction in expressions.

18.1 Number Talk: Additive Inverses

Warm Up: 5 minutes
The purpose of this Number Talk is to elicit strategies and understandings that students have for
adding and subtracting signed numbers. These understandings help students develop fluency and
will be helpful later in this lesson when students will need to be able to rewrite subtraction as
adding the opposite. While four problems are given, it may not be possible to share every strategy.
Consider gathering only two or three different strategies per problem, saving most of the time for
the final question.

Addressing
• 7.NS.A.1
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Number Talk
Launch
Display one problem at a time. Give students 30 seconds of quiet think time for each problem and
ask them to give a signal when they have an answer and a strategy. Keep all problems displayed
throughout the talk. Follow with a whole-class discussion.

242 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. To support working memory, provide students with

sticky notes or mini whiteboards.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Organization

Student Task Statement

Find each sum or difference mentally.

Student Response
Answers vary. Possible responses:

• is -40, because I can represent -30 as an arrow pointing left from 0 to -30 on the
number line. Adding -10 tacks on an additional 10 to the left, arriving at -40.

• is -40, because addition is commutative.

• is -40, because subtracting 10 is the same as adding -10, and

• is 40, because subtracting -30 is the same as adding 30, and

Activity Synthesis
When it comes up, emphasize that “subtract 10” can be rewritten “add negative 10.” Also that
addition is commutative but subtraction is not. Mention these points even if students do not bring
them up.

Ask students to share their strategies for each problem. Record and display their responses for all
to see. To involve more students in the conversation, consider asking:

• “Who can restate ___’s reasoning in a different way?”

• “Did anyone have the same strategy but would explain it differently?”
• “Did anyone solve the problem in a different way?”
• “Does anyone want to add on to _____’s strategy?”
• “Do you agree or disagree? Why?”

Unit 6 Lesson 18 243

 Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports.: Display sentence frames to support students when they
explain their strategy. For example, "First, I _____ because . . ." or "I noticed _____ so I . . . ." Some
students may benefit from the opportunity to rehearse what they will say with a partner before
they share with the whole class.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation)

18.2 A Helpful Observation

10 minutes
Students recall that subtracting a number (or expression) is the same as adding its additive inverse.
This concept is applied to get students used to the idea that the subtraction sign has to stay with
the term it is in front of. Making this concept explicit through a numeric example will help students
see its usefulness and help them avoid common errors in working with expressions that involve
subtraction.

Building On
• 7.NS.A.1.c
Building Towards
• 7.EE.A.1
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Launch
Display the expression and ask students to evaluate. After they have had a chance to
think about the expression, read through the task statement together before setting students to
work.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Access for Perception. Read the dialogue between Lin and Kiran aloud. Students
who both listen to and read the information will benefit from extra processing time. Consider
having pairs of students role play the scenario together and repeat it as necessary in order to
comprehend the situation.
Supports accessibility for: Language

244 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Conversing, Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports. Provide sentence frames to help students
produce explanations about equivalent expressions. For example, “I agree/disagree that ____ is
equivalent to because . . . .” This will help students use the language of
justification for comparing equivalent expressions related to the communicative property of
addition.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for justification)

Student Task Statement

Lin and Kiran are trying to calculate . Here is their conversation:

Lin: “I plan to first add and , so I will have to start by finding equivalent fractions with a
common denominator.”

Kiran: “It would be a lot easier if we could start by working with the and . Can we
rewrite it like ?”

Lin: “You can’t switch the order of numbers in a subtraction problem like you can with
addition; is not equal to .”

Kiran: “That’s true, but do you remember what we learned about rewriting subtraction
expressions using addition? is equal to .”

1. Write an expression that is equivalent to that uses addition instead of

subtraction.

2. If you wrote the terms of your new expression in a different order, would it still be
equivalent? Explain your reasoning.

Student Response
1.

2. Answers vary. Sample response: It works as long as the subtraction or negative sign is moved
along with the number that follows. What doesn’t work is moving the numbers but leaving the
subtraction sign in the same place.

Activity Synthesis
Ensure everyone agrees that is equivalent to is equivalent to
. Use the language “commutative property of addition.”

Unit 6 Lesson 18 245

 18.3 Organizing Work
15 minutes
Students learn that we can still organize our work with the distributive property in a familiar way,
even with negative numbers where thinking in terms of area breaks down.

Building On
• 7.NS.A.1.c
Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1
Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
Launch
Display the image and ask students to write an expression for the area of the big rectangle in at
least 3 different ways.

Collect responses. If students simply say “16,” ask them to explain how they calculated 16 and
record these processes for all to see. Remind students that thinking about area gives us a way to
understand the distributive property. This diagram can be used to show that
. Be sure that students see you write the partial products in the diagram,
and that they see every piece of the associated identity .

Tell students that when we are working with negative numbers, thinking about area doesn’t work so
well, but the distributive property still holds when there are negative numbers. The expressions
involved still have the same structure, and we can still organize our work the same way.

246 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Differentiate the degree of difficulty or complexity by

beginning with an example with more accessible values, such as the one given. Highlight
connections between representations by recording the calculations in the boxes. In addition,
consider creating a display showing a general example using only variables and keeping it as a
reference throughout the remainder of the unit.
Supports accessibility for: Conceptual processing

Student Task Statement

1. Write two expressions for the area of the big rectangle.

2. Use the distributive property to write an expression that is equivalent to

. The boxes can help you organize your work.

3. Use the distributive property to write an expression that is equivalent to .

Student Response
1. and

2.

3.

Unit 6 Lesson 18 247

 Are You Ready for More?
Here is a calendar for April 2017. 1. Average these four numbers. What do
you notice?

2. Choose a different date that is in a

location where it has a date above,
below, and to either side. Average these
four numbers. What do you notice?

3. Explain why the same thing will happen

for any date in a location where it has a
date above, below, and to either side.

Let's choose a date: the 10th. Look at the

numbers above, below, and to either side of
the 10th: 3, 17, 9, 11.

Student Response
1. The average of the four numbers is 10, because . The
average of the four surrounding numbers equals the original date chosen.

2. Answers vary. Sample response: Let's choose 21. The four numbers are 14, 28, 20, 22. The
average of these is 21, because . The average of the
four surrounding numbers equals the original date chosen.

3. Answers vary. Sample response using algebra. If the original date chosen is represented by ,
then the date above is because it must be 7 days prior. The date below is because
it must be 7 days after. The date to the left is and the date to the right is . The sum
of these four dates is which equals . To find the average, I
would divide this by 4, giving the original date chosen, .

Activity Synthesis
Solicit responses to the second question and demonstrate thinking about one product at a time:

Then ask students to share how they approached the last question. Highlight responses where
students noticed that can be rewritten like (because of what they
talked about in the warm-up). So the two questions have the same answer.

248 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Speaking, Representing: MLR7 Compare and Connect. Use this routine when students present their
expressions. Ask students “What is the same and what is different?” about the approaches and
representations involving subtraction with the distributive property. Help students connect
how the expressions that have a subtraction operation are equivalent to expressions that add
its additive inverse. These exchanges strengthen students’ mathematical language use and
reasoning with the distributive property and the subtraction operation.
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness

Lesson Synthesis
Display two expressions like and Ask students to think about why
these expressions are not equivalent and explain to a partner. Two explanations should be
highlighted:

• Subtraction isn't commutative. and are not equivalent; you can't just
switch terms around a subtraction sign.

• Since is the same as , the negative sign needs to stay with the when terms are
rearranged.

Ask students how they could fix the second expression to make it equivalent to the first. Ensure that
everyone agrees and understands why and are equivalent to the
first expression.

18.4 Equivalent to
Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1
• 7.NS.A.1.c
Student Task Statement
1. Select all the expressions that are equivalent to .

a.

b.

c.

d.

Unit 6 Lesson 18 249

 e.

2. Use the distributive property to write an expression that is equivalent to . If

you get stuck, use the boxes to help organize your work.

Student Response
1. b, c

2. or equivalent

Student Lesson Summary

Working with subtraction and signed numbers can sometimes get tricky. We can apply what
we know about the relationship between addition and subtraction—that subtracting a
number gives the same result as adding its opposite—to our work with expressions. Then, we
can make use of the properties of addition that allow us to add and group in any order. This
can make calculations simpler. For example:

We can also organize the work of multiplying signed numbers

in expressions. The product can be found by
drawing a rectangle with the first factor, , on one side, and
the three terms inside the parentheses on the other side:

250 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Multiply by each term across the top and perform the
multiplications:

Reassemble the parts to get the expanded version of the original expression:

Glossary
• term

Lesson 18 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
For each expression, write an equivalent expression that uses only addition.

a.

b.

c.

Solution
a.

b.

c.

Problem 2
Statement
Use the distributive property to write an expression that is equivalent to each expression. If
you get stuck, consider drawing boxes to help organize your work.

a.

b.

c.

Unit 6 Lesson 18 251

 d.

e.

Solution
a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

Problem 3
Statement
Kiran wrote the expression for this number puzzle: “Pick a number, add -2, and
multiply by 5.”

Lin thinks Kiran made a mistake.

a. How can she convince Kiran he made a mistake?

b. What would be a correct expression for this number puzzle?

Solution
a. Answers vary. Sample response: for the number puzzle should result in . But Kiran’s
expression gives .

b. (or )

Problem 4
Statement
The output from a coal power plant is shown in the table:

252 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 energy in megawatts number of days

1,200 2.4

1,800 3.6

4,000 8

10,000 20

Similarly, the output from a solar power plant is shown in the table:

energy in megawatts number of days

100 1

650 4

1,200 7

1,750 10

Based on the tables, is the energy output in proportion to the number of days for either
plant? If so, write an equation showing the relationship. If not, explain your reasoning.

Solution
The coal power plant could be a proportional relationship. Its equation would be where
is the energy output in megawatts and is the number of days. The solar power plant would not
be a proportional relationship since the ratio between the number of days and the energy output is
not constant.

(From Unit 2, Lesson 7.)

Unit 6 Lesson 18 253

 Lesson 19: Expanding and Factoring
Goals
• Apply the distributive property to expand or factor an expression that includes negative
coefficients, and explain (orally and using other representations) the reasoning.

• Comprehend the terms “expand” and “factor” (in spoken and written language) in relation to
the distributive property.

Learning Targets
• I can organize my work when I use the distributive property.
• I can use the distributive property to rewrite expressions with positive and negative numbers.
• I understand that factoring and expanding are words used to describe using the distributive
property to write equivalent expressions.

Lesson Narrative
In grade 6, students worked extensively with the distributive property involving both addition and
subtraction, but only with positive coefficients. In the previous lesson, students learned to rewrite
subtraction as "adding the opposite" to avoid common pitfalls. In this lesson, students practice
using the distributive property to write equivalent expressions when there are rational coefficients.
Some of the expressions they will work with are in preparation for understanding combining like
terms in terms of the distributive property, coming up in the next lesson. (For example,
can be rewritten using the distributive property, so it is equivalent to or

Alignments
Building On
• 7.NS.A: Apply and extend previous understandings of operations with fractions to add,
subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1: Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand
linear expressions with rational coefficients.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.A.1: Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand
linear expressions with rational coefficients.

Instructional Routines
• MLR3: Clarify, Critique, Correct
• MLR8: Discussion Supports

254 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 • Number Talk
Student Learning Goals
Let's use the distributive property to write expressions in different ways.

19.1 Number Talk: Parentheses

Warm Up: 10 minutes
The purpose of this number talk is to remind students that when we evaluate expressions, we
multiply before we add or subtract. Parentheses are used to indicate that the order should be
different. Remembering how this works will be important for an activity in this lesson.

Building On
• 7.NS.A
Building Towards
• 7.EE.A.1
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Number Talk
Launch
Display one problem at a time. Give students 30 seconds of quiet think time for each problem and
ask them to give a signal when they have an answer and a strategy. Keep all problems displayed
throughout the talk. Follow with a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. To support working memory, provide students with

sticky notes or mini whiteboards.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Organization

Student Task Statement

Find the value of each expression mentally.

Unit 6 Lesson 19: Expanding and Factoring 255

 Student Response
Strategies vary. Possible responses:

• 14, because absent parentheses, I know to evaluate multiplication before addition. So

• 20, because parentheses indicate their contents should be evaluated first, and next-to means
multiply. So

• -10, because multiply before subtract, so

• -5, because parentheses first, so
Activity Synthesis
The second question is an opportunity to remind students that “next to” implies “multiply.” The
second expression could be rewritten . Point out that we can also know that the second
expression is 20 by using the distributive property: .

The fourth expression could also be rewritten .

Ask students to share their strategies for each problem. Record and display their responses for all
to see. To involve more students in the conversation, consider asking:

• “Who can restate ___’s reasoning in a different way?”

• “Did anyone have the same strategy but would explain it differently?”
• “Did anyone solve the problem in a different way?”
• “Does anyone want to add on to _____’s strategy?”
• “Do you agree or disagree? Why?”

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports.: Display sentence frames to support students when they
explain their strategy. For example, "First, I _____ because . . ." or "I noticed _____ so I . . . ." Some
students may benefit from the opportunity to rehearse what they will say with a partner before
they share with the whole class.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation)

19.2 Factoring and Expanding with Negative

Numbers
20 minutes

256 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 This activity is an opportunity for students to practice rewriting expressions using the distributive
property. It is a step up from the same type of work in grade 6 because arithmetic with signed
numbers is required.

The row with is designed to allow students to figure out how to factor by reasoning based
on structure they already understand, instead of learning how to factor based on a procedure that
a teacher demonstrates first. The rows with and are designed to prepare
students for combining like terms in the next lesson.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1
Instructional Routines
• MLR3: Clarify, Critique, Correct
Launch
Draw students’ attention to the organizers that appear above the table, and tell them that these
correspond to the first three rows in the table. Let them know that they are encouraged to draw
more organizers like this for other rows as needed.

Arrange students in groups of 2. Instruct them to take turns writing an equivalent expression for
each row. One partner writes the equivalent expression and explains their reasoning while the
other listens. If the partner disagrees, they work to resolve the discrepancy before moving to the
next row.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. Provide students with blank diagrams to
organize their work for the factored and expanded expressions. Include example diagrams
labeled “expanded” and “factored.”
Supports accessibility for: Language; Organization

Anticipated Misconceptions
If students are unsure how to proceed, remind them of tools and understandings they have seen
recently that would be helpful. For example, “Draw an organizer and think about how the organizer
represents terms in the expression.” Also, “Rewrite subtraction as adding the opposite.”

Student Task Statement

In each row, write the equivalent expression. If you get stuck, use a diagram to organize your
work. The first row is provided as an example. Diagrams are provided for the first three rows.

Unit 6 Lesson 19: Expanding and Factoring 257

 factored expanded

Student Response
Expressions equivalent to these are also acceptable. For example, instead of one could
write or

258 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 factored expanded

Are You Ready for More?

Expand to create an equivalent expression that uses the fewest number of
terms: . If we wrote a new expression following the same pattern
so that there were 20 sets of parentheses, how could it be expanded into an equivalent
expression that uses the fewest number of terms?

Student Response
,

Activity Synthesis
Much of the discussion will take place in small groups. Display the correct equivalent expressions
and work to resolve any discrepancies. Expanding the term may require particular care.
One way to interpret it is to rewrite as If any confusion about handling subtraction
arises, encourage students to employ the strategy of rewriting subtraction as adding the opposite.

To wrap up the activity, ask:

• “Which rows did you and your partner disagree about? How did you resolve the
disagreement?”

• “Which rows are you the most unsure about?”

Unit 6 Lesson 19: Expanding and Factoring 259

 • “Describe a process or procedure for taking a factored expression and writing its
corresponding expanded expression.”

• “Describe a process or procedure for taking an expanded expression and writing its
corresponding factored expression.”

Support for English Language Learners

Writing: MLR3 Clarify, Critique, Correct. Present an incorrect response for one of the expanded
expressions in the table. For example, “An equivalent expression for is
because is 4 and is left on its own.” Prompt students to clarify any of the language
and reasoning in the incorrect response and then to identify the error(s). Invite students to
work with a partner to write a correct response. This helps students evaluate and improve on
the written mathematical arguments of others.
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness

Lesson Synthesis
• To write an equivalent expression by factoring means to use the distributive property to write
a sum as a product.

• To write an equivalent expression by expanding means to use the distributive property to

write a product as a sum.

Ask students to give an example of each.

19.3 Equivalent Expressions

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1
Student Task Statement
1. Expand to write an equivalent expression:

2. Factor to write an equivalent expression:

If you get stuck, use a diagram to organize your work.

Student Response
1.

2.

Expressions equivalent to these are also acceptable, like

260 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Lesson Summary
We can use properties of operations in different ways to rewrite expressions and create
equivalent expressions. We have already seen that we can use the distributive property to
expand an expression, for example . We can also use the distributive
property in the other direction and factor an expression, for example .

We can organize the work of using distributive property to rewrite the expression . In
this case we know the product and need to find the factors.

The terms of the product go inside:

We look at the expressions and think about a factor they have

in common. and each have a factor of 4. We place the
common factor on one side of the large rectangle:

Now we think: "4 times what is 12 ?" "4 times what is -8?" and
write the other factors on the other side of the rectangle:

So, is equivalent to .

Glossary
• expand
• factor (an expression)

Lesson 19 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
a. Expand to write an equivalent expression:

b. Factor to write an equivalent expression:

Solution
a.

Unit 6 Lesson 19: Expanding and Factoring 261

 b. (or )

Problem 2
Statement
Lin missed math class on the day they worked on expanding and factoring. Kiran is helping
Lin catch up.

a. Lin understands that expanding is using the distributive property, but she doesn’t
understand what factoring is or why it works. How can Kiran explain factoring to Lin?

b. Lin asks Kiran how the diagrams with boxes help with factoring. What should Kiran tell
Lin about the boxes?

c. Lin asks Kiran to help her factor the expression . How can Kiran use
this example to Lin understand factoring?

Solution
a. Answers vary. Sample response: Factoring is the distributive property in the other direction.
Instead of expanding a product to a sum of terms, factoring takes a sum of terms and makes it
into a product by looking for common factors in the terms that can can be written outside the
parentheses.

b. Answers vary. Sample response: The expression in each box is the product of {the expression
to the left of the big rectangle} and {the expression above the box}, just as the area of a
rectangle is length times width. Together, the boxes form a long rectangle, so it is still true that
{the expression to the left of the box} times {the expression above the long rectangle} equals
the sum of all the terms in the boxes. If you want to factor an expression, look for a common
factor in each box, and place it to the left of the rectangle. To decide what to write above each
box, think, “What times that common factor equals what is in the box?”

c. Answers vary and should describe the box or steps. Sample response: First, find the common
factor, which is . Write “ .” We are going to decide what needs to go in the
parentheses to make an expression equivalent to . To get , we need to
multiply by . Using similar reasoning, we can fill in the rest: .

Problem 3
Statement
Complete the equation with numbers that makes the expression on the right side of the
equal sign equivalent to the expression on the left side.

262 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution

Problem 4
Statement
Elena makes her favorite shade of purple paint by mixing 3 cups of blue paint, cups of red
paint, and of a cup of white paint. Elena has of a cup of white paint.

a. Assuming she has enough red paint and blue paint, how much purple paint can Elena
make?

b. How much blue paint and red paint will Elena need to use with the of a cup of white
paint?

Solution
a. cups. One batch of purple paint makes 5 cups. Elena can make batches so that's
cups.

b. 4 cups of blue paint and 2 cups of red paint.

(From Unit 4, Lesson 3.)

Problem 5
Statement
Solve each equation.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

Solution
a.

b.

c. (or equivalent)

Unit 6 Lesson 19: Expanding and Factoring 263

 d. (or equivalent)

e.

(From Unit 6, Lesson 9.)

Problem 6
Statement
Select all the inequalities that have the same solutions as .

A.

B.

C. $4x

D. $x

E.

F.

Solution
["A", "B", "F"]
(From Unit 6, Lesson 13.)

264 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 20: Combining Like Terms (Part 1)
Goals
• Apply properties of operations to justify (orally and in writing) that expressions are equivalent.
• Generate an expression that is equivalent to a given expression with fewer terms.
• Interpret different methods for determining whether expressions are equivalent, and evaluate
(orally) their usefulness.

Learning Targets
• I can figure out whether two expressions are equivalent to each other.
• When possible, I can write an equivalent expression that has fewer terms.
Lesson Narrative
In this lesson, students have a chance to recall one way of understanding equivalent expressions,
that is, the expressions have the same value for any number substituted for a variable. Then they
use properties they have studied over the past several lessons to understand how to properly write
an equivalent expression using fewer terms. We are gently building up to students being able to
fluently combine like terms, though that language is not used with students yet.

Alignments
Building On
• 6.EE.A.4: Identify when two expressions are equivalent (i.e., when the two expressions name
the same number regardless of which value is substituted into them). For example, the
expressions and are equivalent because they name the same number regardless
of which number stands for.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1: Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand
linear expressions with rational coefficients.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.A.1: Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand
linear expressions with rational coefficients.

Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Student Learning Goals
Let's see how we can tell that expressions are equivalent.

Unit 6 Lesson 20: Combining Like Terms (Part 1) 265

 20.1 Why is it True?
Warm Up: 10 minutes
The purpose of this warm-up is to remind students about a few algebraic moves they have
studied in the past several lessons by prompting them to explain the reason the moves are allowed.
These moves are important to understand as students work toward fluency in writing expressions
with fewer terms. Although this activity isn't properly a Number Talk, a similar routine can be
followed.

Building On
• 6.EE.A.4
Building Towards
• 7.EE.A.1
Launch
Display one statement at a time. Give students 30 seconds of quiet think time for each statement
and ask them to give a signal when they have an explanation. Keep all problems displayed
throughout the talk. Follow with a whole-class discussion.

Student Task Statement

Explain why each statement is true.

1.

2. is equivalent to .

3. is equivalent to .

4. is equivalent to 8.

Student Response
Answers vary. Sample responses:

1. Associative property: The convention is to add left to right so is added first, but the
associative property says grouping differently with addition gives the same result.

2. Distributive property:

3. Subtraction can be written as adding the opposite, and then the order can be switched with
the commutative property: .

4. Subtracting a negative is the same as adding its opposite, and then the distributive property
means .

266 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Activity Synthesis
Ask students to share their reasons why each statement is true. Record and display their responses
for all to see. Highlight correct use of precise, mathematical language and give students
opportunities to revise their response to be more precise.

To involve more students in the conversation, consider asking:

• “Who can restate ___’s reasoning in a different way?”

• “Did anyone have the same reason but would explain it differently?”
• “Does anyone want to add on to _____’s reason?” “Do you agree or disagree? Why?”

20.2 A’s and B’s

10 minutes
In this activity students see an example of why applying properties is the only reliable way to decide
whether two expressions are equivalent. They begin by substituting a value of the variable into
expressions believed to be equivalent, and discover that the expressions are equal for that value.
They then substitute other values and find that one of the expressions has a different value than
the others. Students follow up by expanding the terms of the expression to consider each instance
of the variables individually, and uncover the properties applied in each step of writing the
expression with fewer terms.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.A.1
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Launch
Display the first part of the task statement for all to see:

Diego and Jada are both trying to write an expression with fewer terms that is equivalent to

• Jada thinks is equivalent to the original expression.

• Diego thinks is equivalent to the original expression.

Remind students that we can tell whether the expressions are equivalent by substituting some
different values for and and evaluating the expressions.

First, ask students to substitute the values and and evaluate the original expression,
Jada’s expression, and Diego’s expression. Both expressions come out to 43. Perhaps these are
both equivalent to the original expression?

Unit 6 Lesson 20: Combining Like Terms (Part 1) 267

 Then, ask students to choose some different values for and and evaluate: the original
expression, Jada’s expression, and Diego’s expression. For any other values of and , Jada and
Diego's expressions do not evaluate to the same thing. For example, for and , the
original is 13, Jada's expression is 11, and Diego's is 13.

The outcome of Diego's expression will match the original expressions, and Jada's will not.

Tell students that experimenting with numbers can tell us that two expressions are not equivalent,
but can't prove that two expressions are equivalent. For example, Jada and Diego's expressions
yielded the same outcome for and , but aren't equivalent. For that, we need to reason
about the expressions using the properties that we know.

Arrange students in groups of 2. Allow 6–7 minutes quiet work time and partner discussions
followed by a whole class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Begin with a physical demonstration of expanding

terms and substituting values into an expression to support connections between new
situations and prior understandings. For example, demonstrate how to expand “ ” by writing
out 7 “ ’s” with the addition sign between them and then evaluate it using . Ask students
“How are these expressions equivalent?” and “How does substituting values help determine
when expressions are equivalent?”
Supports accessibility for: Conceptual processing; Visual-spatial processing

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports. Use sentence frames to support students in producing
explanations about why expressions are equivalent. For example, “This row is equivalent to the
last row because . . . .”
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making; Optimize output (for explanation)

Anticipated Misconceptions
Students may think the expressions are equivalent after finding them equal for and .
Remind them that equivalent expressions must be equal for every possible value of the variable.

Students might have trouble describing the moves in the last two questions and justifying that the
expressions are equivalent. Encourage students to closely examine the changes from row to row
and consider why they do not change the value of the expression.

Student Task Statement

Diego and Jada are both trying to write an expression with fewer terms that is equivalent to

268 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 • Jada thinks is equivalent to the original expression.

• Diego thinks is equivalent to the original expression.

1. We can show expressions are equivalent by writing out all the variables. Explain why the
expression on each row (after the first row) is equivalent to the expression on the row
before it.

2. Here is another way we can rewrite the expressions. Explain why the expression on
each row (after the first row) is equivalent to the expression on the row before it.

Student Response
1. Answers vary. Sample responses:
◦ First row: Write products as sums (distributive property).
◦ Second row: Group first set of 's differently (associative property).

◦ Third row: Switch second and third groups of addends (commutative property).
◦ Fourth row: Subtract an addend from itself to get 0: .

◦ Fifth row: Group all the 's together (associative property).

◦ Sixth row: Write sums as products (distributive property).

2. Answers vary. Sample responses:
◦ First row: Write subtraction as addition.
◦ Second row: Switch 2nd and 3rd terms (commutative property).
◦ Third Row: Write sums as products (distributive property).
◦ Fourth row: Evaluate numerical expressions.

Unit 6 Lesson 20: Combining Like Terms (Part 1) 269

 Are You Ready for More?
Follow the instructions for a number puzzle: 1. What is the final number?

• Take the number formed by the first 3 2. How does this number puzzle work?
digits of your phone number and
3. Can you invent a new number puzzle
multiply it by 40
that gives a surprising result?
• Add 1 to the result
• Multiply by 500
• Add the number formed by the last 4
digits of your phone number, and then
add it again
• Subtract 500
• Multiply by
Student Response
Explanations vary. Sample response:

• Let represent the 3-digit number, so

•
•
• Let represent the 4-digit number, so or

•
• means the 3-digit number, was moved 4 place values
to the left followed 4 zeros and then the 4-digit number was added to the zeros, forming the
phone number.

Activity Synthesis
Invite students to justify that the steps taken by Diego do not change the value of the expressions.
Emphasize places where he used the distributive property and the commutative property.

Ask students which method they prefer (substituting values or using the properties of
operations) for telling whether expressions are equivalent. Explain that while checking values can
give us useful information, there is usually no way to check all possible values. That is why it is
important to have some algebraic methods to rely on.

20.3 Making Sides Equal

15 minutes
In this activity, students use what they have learned so far to find a missing term that makes two
expressions equivalent. They have many tools at their disposal to reason about the missing term.

270 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 For example, for the first problem , they might reason as in the last activity and write
out the sum of 6 's and ? on one side, and a string of 10 's on the other side, and reason that 4 's
are needed to make the sides equivalent. Alternatively, they might reason with the distributive
property, and rewrite the left side as These alternative ways of reasoning about
equivalent expressions should be highlighted in the discussion.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Explain that they will use what they have learned so far to find a
missing term that will make two expressions equivalent. Draw their attention to the instructions,
which instruct students to complete the first set of problems, check in with their partner, and then
proceed. If desired, you might ask students to pause after the first set for whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Engagement: Develop Effort and Persistence. Encourage and support opportunities for peer
interactions. Display sentence frames to support student conversation such as “To find the
missing term, first, I _____ because...”, “Why did you...?”, “Can you explain or show that another
way?” or “I agree/disagree because…”
Supports accessibility for: Language; Social-emotional skills

Student Task Statement

Replace each ? with an expression that will make the left side of the equation equivalent to
the right side.

Set A

1.

2.

3.

Unit 6 Lesson 20: Combining Like Terms (Part 1) 271

 4.

5.

Check your results with your partner and resolve any disagreements. Next move on to Set B.

Set B

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Student Response
Set A

1.

2.

3.

272 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 4.

5.

Set B

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Activity Synthesis
Ask students to share their expressions for each problem. Record and display their responses for all
to see. After each student shares, ask the class if they agree or disagree.

The following questions, when applicable, can be used as students share:

• “Why didn't you combine terms and numbers?” (Rewriting expressions using the properties
of multiplication or the distributive property shows why this doesn't result in an equivalent
expression.)

• “How did you decide on the components of the missing term?”

• “Did you use the commutative property?”
• “Did you use the distributive property?”

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking, Representing: MLR8 Discussion Supports. Use this routine to support whole-class
discussion. After each student shares their expressions, provide the class with the following
sentence frames to help them respond: "I agree because ….” or "I disagree because ….”
Encourage students to name a property as part of their explanation for why they agree or
disagree. This will help students to connect the properties with the processes they used to
confirm equivalent expressions.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation)

Lesson Synthesis
Consider asking students to choose one of these questions, think about it quietly for a few minutes,
and then explain it to their partner either verbally or in writing. Their partner listens or reads
carefully, and asks any clarifying questions if they don't fully understand.

Unit 6 Lesson 20: Combining Like Terms (Part 1) 273

 • “What are some ways we can tell that is not equivalent to ?”

• “Someone is doubtful that is equivalent to , but they do understand the distributive

property. How could you convince them that these expressions are equivalent?”

• “What are some ways we could rearrange the terms in the expression and
create an equivalent expression?”

20.4 Fewer Terms

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1
Student Task Statement
Write each expression with fewer terms. Show your work or explain your reasoning.

1.

2.

Student Response
1.

2.

Student Lesson Summary

There are many ways to write equivalent expressions that may look very different from each
other. We have several tools to find out if two expressions are equivalent.

• Two expressions are definitely not equivalent if they have different values when we
substitute the same number for the variable. For example, and are
not equivalent because when is 1, the first expression equals 4 and the second
expression equals 7.

• If two expressions are equal for many different values we substitute for the variable,
then the expressions may be equivalent, but we don't know for sure. It is impossible to
compare the two expressions for all values. To know for sure, we use properties of
operations. For example, is equivalent to because:

274 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 20 Practice Problems
Problem 1
Statement
Andre says that and are equivalent because they both equal 16 when is 1.
Do you agree with Andre? Explain your reasoning.

Solution
No, equivalent expressions are equal for any value of their variable. When is 0, they are not equal.

Problem 2
Statement
Select all expressions that can be subtracted from to result in the expression .

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Solution
["A", "D"]

Problem 3
Statement
Select all the statements that are true for any value of .

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

Unit 6 Lesson 20: Combining Like Terms (Part 1) 275

 Solution
["A", "C", "E", "F"]

Problem 4
Statement
For each situation, would you describe it with , , , or ?

a. The library is having a party for any student who read at least 25 books over the
summer. Priya read books and was invited to the party.

b. Kiran read books over the summer but was not invited to the party.

c.

d.

Solution
a.

b.

c.

d.

(From Unit 6, Lesson 13.)

Problem 5
Statement
Consider the problem: A water bucket is being filled with water from a water faucet at a
constant rate. When will the bucket be full? What information would you need to be able to
solve the problem?

Solution
Answers vary. Possible response:

a. How big is the bucket?

b. What is the rate of water flow?

276 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 c. How high is the bucket?

d. How high is the water in the bucket after 1 minute?

(From Unit 2, Lesson 9.)

Unit 6 Lesson 20: Combining Like Terms (Part 1) 277

 Lesson 21: Combining Like Terms (Part 2)
Goals
• Critique (in writing) methods for generating equivalent expressions with fewer terms.
• Generate expressions that are not equivalent, but differ only in the placement of parentheses,
and justify (orally) that they are not equivalent.

• Write expressions with fewer terms that are equivalent to a given expression that includes
negative coefficients and parentheses.

Learning Targets
• I am aware of some common pitfalls when writing equivalent expressions, and I can avoid
them.

• When possible, I can write an equivalent expression that has fewer terms.
Lesson Narrative
In this lesson, students are still working toward gaining fluency in writing equivalent expressions.
The goal of this lesson is to highlight a particular common error: mishandling the subtraction in an
expression like To this end, students first analyze and explain the error in several
incorrect ways of rewriting this expression. Then, they consider the effect of inserting parentheses
in different places in an expression with four terms.

Alignments
Building On
• 6.EE.A.2.c: Evaluate expressions at specific values of their variables. Include expressions that
arise from formulas used in real-world problems. Perform arithmetic operations, including
those involving whole-number exponents, in the conventional order when there are no
parentheses to specify a particular order (Order of Operations). For example, use the formulas
and to find the volume and surface area of a cube with sides of length .

• 6.EE.A.4: Identify when two expressions are equivalent (i.e., when the two expressions name
the same number regardless of which value is substituted into them). For example, the
expressions and are equivalent because they name the same number regardless
of which number stands for.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1: Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand
linear expressions with rational coefficients.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.A.1: Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand
linear expressions with rational coefficients.

278 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Instructional Routines
• MLR3: Clarify, Critique, Correct
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Think Pair Share
• True or False
Required Materials
Index cards

Required Preparation
Access to index cards is suggested for students to need help isolating one expression at a time.
They can use the index card to cover up nearby expressions.

Student Learning Goals

Let’s see how to use properties correctly to write equivalent expressions.

21.1 True or False?

Warm Up: 10 minutes
In this warm-up, students consider some correct and incorrect numerical examples of distributing
when the expression is being subtracted. A main goal of this lesson is to help students to
understand how to write equivalent expressions that contain variables. By first looking at numbers
only, students have a way to tell if the expressions are equivalent by evaluating each side.

Look for students who evaluate each side and students who reason about operations and
properties.

Building On
• 6.EE.A.2.c
• 6.EE.A.4
Building Towards
• 7.EE.A.1
Instructional Routines
• Think Pair Share
• True or False
Launch
Tell students that their job is to consider four equations and decide which of them are true.

Unit 6 Lesson 21: Combining Like Terms (Part 2) 279

 The amount of numbers and symbols presented relatively close together might present a challenge.
It is important that students think of how the different equations compare to each other, but they
also need to consider them one at a time. Provide access to index cards, so that, for example,
students can cover up questions 2, 3, and 4 while considering question 1.

Arrange students in groups of 2. Give them 3 minutes of quiet work time and time to share their
thoughts with a partner, followed by whole-class discussion.

Student Task Statement

Select all the statements that are true. Be prepared to explain your reasoning.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Student Response
Sample reasoning:

1. true, because the 2 must be multiplied by both 3 and 7 because of the distributive property,
and each product must be subtracted since the product of 2 and is subtracted

2. true, because subtracting 2 is the same as adding -2, and then the distributive property is
applied

3. false, because needs to be subtracted

4. true, because the 2 is distributed but the parentheses indicate that the result of is
subtracted

Activity Synthesis
Ask students to explain why the true statements are true. Select students who reason by evaluating
each side, and also students who reason using properties. For example, statement 2 is true because
subtracting 2 is the same as adding negative 2, and then the distributive property is applies.

Then, spend some time on why statement 3 is false. First, we can tell its false because when each
side is evaluated, we get The order of operations is just a convention, but we need to all
follow one convention so that we can communicate mathematically. When the order of operations
is followed on the left side, the result of is subtracted from 4. However on the right side of
statement 3, only the is being subtracted, and the is being added.

21.2 Seeing it Differently

10 minutes

280 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 In this activity, students encounter typical errors with signed numbers, operations, and properties.
They are tasked with identifying which strategies are correct and for those that are not, describing
the error that was made.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1
Instructional Routines
• MLR3: Clarify, Critique, Correct
Launch
Ensure students understand the task: first they decide whether they agree with each person's
strategy, but they also need to describe the errors that were made. Give 5 minutes quiet work time
followed by a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Begin by providing students with rules for adding,
subtracting, and multiplying signed numbers. Invite students to share their prior knowledge
and ideas using simple examples.
Supports accessibility for: Conceptual processing

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking, Writing: MLR3 Clarify, Critique, Correct. This activity provides students with the
opportunity to improve upon the written work of another by correcting errors and clarifying
meaning. Ask students to select one of the errors they notice, and to produce a written
explanation, intended for the student who made the error (Noah, Lin, Jada, or Andre), that
describes the error that was made, and how to fix it. Give students 3–5 minutes to complete a
first draft before they read their writing to a partner. Provide students with prompts they can
use to give each other feedback such as “Can you say that another way?” or “Can you try to
explain this using an example?” This will provide students with an additional opportunity to
produce language related to writing equivalent expressions.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation)

Student Task Statement

Some students are trying to write an expression with fewer terms that is equivalent to
.

Unit 6 Lesson 21: Combining Like Terms (Part 2) 281

 Noah says, “I worked the problem from left to Lin says, “I started inside the parentheses and
right and ended up with .” ended up with .”

Jada says, “I used the distributive property and Andre says, “I also used the distributive
ended up with .” property, but I ended up with .”

1. Do you agree with any of them? Explain your reasoning.

2. For each strategy that you disagree with, find and describe the errors.

Student Response
1. Answers vary. Sample response: I agree with Jada because I tried some values of and Jada's
expression always evaluates to the same number as the original expression.

2. Answers vary. Sample response: Noah subtracted before multiplying. Lin combined 4 and .
Andre multiplied and and got .

Are You Ready for More?

1. Jada’s neighbor said, “My age is the difference between twice my age in 4 years and
twice my age 4 years ago.” How old is Jada’s neighbor?

2. Another neighbor said, “My age is the difference between twice my age in 5 years and
and twice my age 5 years ago.” How old is this neighbor?

3. A third neighbor had the same claim for 17 years from now and 17 years ago, and a
fourth for 21 years. Determine those neighbors’ ages.

Student Response
1. 16. An expression for the neighbor’s age is or which is 16.

2. 20. An expression for this neighbor’s age is or .

282 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 3. 68 and 84. The expression is always twice the number of years + twice the number of years, or
where is the number of years: , = 84.

Activity Synthesis
Ask students, “Which way do you see it?” In grade 6, students learned that equivalent expressions
meant two expressions had to be equal for any value of the variable. Since each student’s work
contains at least two steps, the steps can be used to identify where the error occurs—where the
expressions are no longer equal for a value of the variable.

A handy approach is to rewrite subtraction operations as adding the opposite. If desired,

demonstrate such an approach for this expression along with a box to organize the work of
multiplying :

21.3 Grouping Differently

15 minutes
In this activity students continue the work of generating equivalent expressions as they decide
where to place a set of parentheses and explore how that placement affects the expressions.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1

Unit 6 Lesson 21: Combining Like Terms (Part 2) 283

 Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Tell students to first complete both questions independently. Then,
trade one of their expressions with their partner. The partner’s job is to decide whether the new
expression is equivalent to the original or not, and explain how they know.

Anticipated Misconceptions
Students may not realize that they can break up a term and place a parentheses, for example,
between the 8 and in the term . Clarify that they may place the parentheses anywhere in the
expression.

Student Task Statement

Diego was taking a math quiz. There was a question on the quiz that had the expression
. Diego’s teacher told the class there was a typo and the expression was
supposed to have one set of parentheses in it.

1. Where could you put parentheses in to make a new expression that is

still equivalent to the original expression? How do you know that your new expression is
equivalent?

2. Where could you put parentheses in to make a new expression that is

not equivalent to the original expression? List as many different answers as you can.

Student Response
Answers vary. Sample responses:

1. ,

2. , , ,
, ,

Activity Synthesis
Questions for discussion:

• “How can you write the original expression in different ways with fewer terms?” ( ,
, )

• “Where did you place the parentheses to create an equivalent expression?”

• “Share other ways you placed parentheses and the resulting expression with fewer terms.”

284 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Develop Language and Symbols. Create a display of important terms and
vocabulary. Include the following terms and maintain the display for reference throughout the
unit: parenthesis. The display should include examples of how to create equivalent expressions
using parentheses by breaking up the components. Be sure to emphasize how the placement
of the parentheses affects the expression.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Language

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking, Writing: MLR8 Discussion Supports. When students interpret the new expression they
receive, ask students to press their partner for more details in their explanations by
challenging an idea, or asking for an example. Listen for, and amplify language students use to
describe how the parentheses influence the resulting expression with fewer terms. This will
help call students' attention to the types of details and language to look for to determine if an
expression is equivalent to another or not.
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness; Support sense-making

Lesson Synthesis
Display the expression Ask students to think of a mistake someone would be likely to
make when trying to write an expression that is equivalent to this one. Select a student to share,
and then ask if anyone can think of a different likely mistake. Continue until each of these common
errors arises:

• Subtracting 2 from 5 first, resulting in

• Distributing positive 2, resulting in
• Thinking that is 3, resulting in

Then, ask students for strategies for preventing these errors. Reliable properties to use are:
rewriting subtraction as adding the opposite, the commutative property of multiplication and
addition, and the distributive property. Suggest this way of rewriting this example:

Unit 6 Lesson 21: Combining Like Terms (Part 2) 285

 21.4 How Many Are Equivalent?
Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1
Student Task Statement
Select all the expressions that are equivalent to . Explain or show your
reasoning.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Student Response
1, 4

Student Lesson Summary

Combining like terms allows us to write expressions more simply with fewer terms. But it can
sometimes be tricky with long expressions, parentheses, and negatives. It is helpful to think
about some common errors that we can be aware of and try to avoid:

• is not equivalent to 6. While it might be tempting to think that subtracting

makes the disappear, the expression is really saying take 1 away from 6 's, and the
distributive property tells us that is equivalent to .

• is not equivalent to . The expression tells us to double an unknown

amount and subtract it from 7. This is not always the same as taking 5 copies of the
unknown.

• is not equivalent to . The expression tells us to subtract 4 copies of

an amount from 7, not to take copies of the amount.

If we think about the meaning and properties of operations when we take steps to rewrite
expressions, we can be sure we are getting equivalent expressions and are not changing their
value in the process.

286 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 21 Practice Problems
Problem 1
Statement
◦ Noah says that is equivalent to , because the subtraction sign tells us to
subtract everything that comes after .

◦ Elena says that is equivalent to , because the subtraction only applies

to .

Do you agree with either of them? Explain your reasoning.

Solution
Elena is correct. Rewriting addition as subtraction gives us , which shows that the
subtraction symbol in front of the applies only to the and not to the terms that come after it.

Problem 2
Statement
Identify the error in generating an expression equivalent to . Then
correct the error.

Solution
The error is in the last step. The second was subtracted instead of being added. This would be
correct if there were parentheses around . The last step should be .

Problem 3
Statement
Select all expressions that are equivalent to .

Unit 6 Lesson 21: Combining Like Terms (Part 2) 287

 A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

G.

Solution
["A", "B", "C", "D", "E", "F"]

Problem 4
Statement
The school marching band has a budget of up to $750 to cover 15 new uniforms and
competition fees that total $300. How much can they spend for one uniform?

a. Write an inequality to represent this situation.

b. Solve the inequality and describe what it means in the situation.

Solution
a.

b. . They can spend at most $30 on each uniform.

(From Unit 6, Lesson 14.)

Problem 5
Statement
Solve the inequality that represents each story. Then interpret what the solution means in the
story.

a. For every $9 that Elena earns, she gives dollars to charity. This happens 7 times this
month. Elena wants to be sure she keeps at least $42 from this month’s
earnings.

b. Lin buys a candle that is 9 inches tall and burns down inches per minute. She wants to
let the candle burn for 7 minutes until it is less than 6 inches tall.

288 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Solution
a. . Elena can give $3 or less to charity for every $9 she earns.

b. . The candle needs to burn down more than inch each minute.

(From Unit 6, Lesson 16.)

Problem 6
Statement
A certain shade of blue paint is made by mixing quarts of blue paint with 5 quarts of white
paint. If you need a total of 16.25 gallons of this shade of blue paint, how much of each color
should you mix?

Solution
You should mix gallons of blue paint with gallons of white paint.

(From Unit 4, Lesson 3.)

Unit 6 Lesson 21: Combining Like Terms (Part 2) 289

 Lesson 22: Combining Like Terms (Part 3)
Goals
• Explain (orally and in writing) how to write an equivalent expression with fewer terms.
• Generalize (orally) about what strategies are useful and what mistakes are common when
writing equivalent expressions with fewer terms.

• Identify equivalent expressions, and justify (orally and in writing) that they are equivalent.
Learning Targets
• Given an expression, I can use various strategies to write an equivalent expression.
• When I look at an expression, I can notice if some parts have common factors and make the
expression shorter by combining those parts.

Lesson Narrative
In this lesson, students have an opportunity to demonstrate fluency in combining like terms and
look for and make use of structure (MP7) to apply the distributive property in more sophisticated
ways.

Alignments
Building On
• 6.EE.A.4: Identify when two expressions are equivalent (i.e., when the two expressions name
the same number regardless of which value is substituted into them). For example, the
expressions and are equivalent because they name the same number regardless
of which number stands for.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1: Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand
linear expressions with rational coefficients.

Building Towards
• 7.EE.A.1: Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand
linear expressions with rational coefficients.

Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Take Turns
• Think Pair Share

290 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Student Learning Goals
Let’s see how we can combine terms in an expression to write it with less terms.

22.1 Are They Equal?

Warm Up: 5 minutes
The purpose of this activity is to remind students of things they learned in the previous lesson using
numerical examples. Look for students who evaluate each expression and students who use
reasoning about operations and properties.

Building On
• 6.EE.A.4
Building Towards
• 7.EE.A.1
Launch
Remind students that working with subtraction can be tricky, and to think of some strategies they
have learned in this unit. Encourage students to reason about the expressions without evaluating
them.

Give students 2 minutes of quiet think time followed by whole-class discussion.

Anticipated Misconceptions
Students who selected or might not understand that the
subtraction sign outside the parentheses applies to the 4 and that 4 is always to be subtracted in
any equivalent expression.

Students who selected might think the subtraction sign in front of 12 also applies
to and that the two subtractions become addition.

Student Task Statement

Select all expressions that are equal to .

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Student Response
2, 5

Unit 6 Lesson 22: Combining Like Terms (Part 3) 291

 Activity Synthesis
For each expression, poll the class for whether the expression is equal to the given expression, or
not. For each expression, select a student to explain why it is equal to the given expression or not. If
the first student reasoned by evaluating each expression, ask if anyone reasoned without
evaluating each expression.

22.2 X’s and Y’s

15 minutes
In this activity students take turns with a partner and work to make sense of writing expressions in
equivalent ways. This activity is a step up from the previous lesson because there are more
negatives for students to deal with, and each expression contains more than one variable.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Take Turns
Launch
Arrange students in groups of 2. Tell students that for each expression in column A, one partner
finds an equivalent expression in column B and explains why they think it is equivalent. The
partner's job is to listen and make sure they agree. If they don't agree, the partners discuss until
they come to an agreement. For the next expression in column A, the students swap roles. If
necessary, demonstrate this protocol before students start working.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Differentiate the degree of difficulty or complexity by

beginning with an example with more accessible values. For example, start with an expression
with three terms such as “ " and show different forms of equivalent expressions.
Highlight connections between expressions by using the same color on equivalent parts of the
expression.
Supports accessibility for: Conceptual processing

292 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Support for English Language Learners

Listening, Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports. Display sentence frames for students to use to
describe the reasons for their matches. For example, “I matched expression ___ with
expression ___ because . . . .” or “I used the ___ property to help me match expression ___ with
expression ___.” Provide a sentence frame for the partner to respond with, such as: “I agree/
disagree with this match because . . . .” These sentence frames provide students with language
structures that help them to produce explanations, and also to critique their partner’s
reasoning.
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness; Support sense-making

Anticipated Misconceptions
For the second and third rows, some students may not understand that the subtraction sign in
front of the parentheses applies to both terms inside that set of parentheses. Some students may
get the second row correct, but not realize how the third row relates to the fact that the product of
two negative numbers is a positive number. For the last three rows, some students may not
recognize the importance of the subtraction sign in front of . Prompt them to rewrite the
expressions replacing subtraction with adding the inverse.

Students might write an expression with fewer terms but not recognize an equivalent form because
the distributive property has been used to write a sum as a product. For
example, can be written as or , which is equivalent to
the expression in column B. Encourage students to think about writing the column B
expressions in a different form and to recall that the distributive property can be applied to either
factor or expand an expression.

Student Task Statement

Match each expression in column A with an equivalent expression from column B. Be
prepared to explain your reasoning.

A B

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

6. 6.

Unit 6 Lesson 22: Combining Like Terms (Part 3) 293

 Student Response
The correct pairings:

A B

Activity Synthesis
Much discussion takes place between partners. Invite students to share how they used properties
to generate equivalent expressions and find matches.

• “Which term(s) does the subtraction sign apply to in each expression? How do you know?”
• “Were there any expressions from column A that you wrote with fewer terms but were unable
to find a match for in column B? If yes, why do you think this happened?”

• “What were some ways you handled subtraction with parentheses? Without parentheses?”
• “Describe any difficulties you experienced and how you resolved them.”

22.3 Seeing Structure and Factoring

10 minutes
This activity is an opportunity to notice and make use of structure (MP7) in order to apply the
distributive property in more sophisticated ways.

Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1
Instructional Routines
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Think Pair Share

294 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Launch
Display the expression and ask students to calculate as quickly as they can. Invite
students to explain their strategies. If no student brings it up, ask if the three numbers have
anything in common (they are all multiples of 9). One way to quickly compute would be to notice
that can be written as or which can be quickly
calculated as 0. Tell students that noticing common factors in expressions can help us write them
with fewer terms or more simply.

Keep students in the same groups. Give them 5 minutes of quiet work time and time to share their
expressions with their partner, followed by a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Action and Expression: Internalize Executive Functions. To support development of organizational

skills, check in with students within the first 2–3 minutes of work time. Look for students who
identify common factors or rearrange terms to write the expressions with fewer terms.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Organization

Student Task Statement

Write each expression with fewer terms. Show or explain your reasoning.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Student Response
1. or 30. Explanations vary. Sample response: Move the common factor 15 out of each
term and combine the other factors: .

2. . Explanations vary. Sample response: Move the common factor out of each term and
combine the other factors: .

3. or . Explanations vary. Sample response: Move the common factor out

of each term and combine the other factors:
.

4. or . Explanations vary. Sample response: Move the common factor

out of each term and combine the other factors:
.

Unit 6 Lesson 22: Combining Like Terms (Part 3) 295

 Activity Synthesis
For each expression, invite a student to share their process for writing it with fewer terms. Highlight
the use of the distributive property.

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports. Provide sentence frames to help students explain their
strategies. For example, “I noticed that ______, so I ______.” or “First, I ________ because ________.”
When students share their answers with a partner, prompt them to rehearse what they will say
when they share with the full group. Rehearsing provides students with additional
opportunities to clarify their thinking.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation)

Lesson Synthesis
Ask students to reflect on their work in this unit. They can share their response to one or more of
these prompts either in writing or verbally with a partner.

• “Describe something that you found confusing at first that you now understand well.”
• “Think of a story problem that you would not have been able to solve before this unit that you
can solve now.”

• “What is a tool or strategy that you learned in this lesson that was particularly useful?”
• “Describe a common mistake that people make when using the ideas we studied in this unit
and how they can avoid that mistake.”

• “Which is your favorite, and why? The distributive property, rewriting subtraction as adding the
opposite, or the commutative property.”

22.4 R's and T's

Cool Down: 5 minutes
Addressing
• 7.EE.A.1
Student Task Statement
Match each expression in column A with an equivalent expression from column B. Show or
explain your reasoning.

296 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Column A Column B

1. •
2. •
3. •
Student Response
1.

2.

3.

Student Lesson Summary

Combining like terms is a useful strategy that we will see again and again in our future work
with mathematical expressions. It is helpful to review the things we have learned about this
important concept.

• Combining like terms is an application of the distributive property. For example:

• It often also involves the commutative and associative properties to change the order or
grouping of addition. For example:

• We can't change order or grouping when subtracting; so in order to apply the

commutative or associative properties to expressions with subtraction, we need to
rewrite subtraction as addition. For example:

• Since combining like terms uses properties of operations, it results in expressions that
are equivalent.

Unit 6 Lesson 22: Combining Like Terms (Part 3) 297

 • The like terms that are combined do not have to be a single number or variable; they
may be longer expressions as well. Terms can be combined in any sum where there is a
common factor in all the terms. For example, each term in the expression
has a factor of . We can rewrite the expression
with fewer terms by using the distributive property:

Lesson 22 Practice Problems

Problem 1
Statement
Jada says, “I can tell that equals 0 just by looking at it.” Is
Jada correct? Explain how you know.

Solution
Yes. Explanations vary. Sample response: Factor out :
.

Problem 2
Statement
In each row, decide whether the expression in column A is equivalent to the expression in
column B. If they are not equivalent, show how to change one expression to make them
equivalent.

A B

a. a.

b. b.

c. c.

d. d.

e. e.

Solution
a. Equivalent

298 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 b. Not equivalent. Answers vary. Sample responses: Change the column B entry to , change
the column A entry to

c. Equivalent

d. Not equivalent. Answers vary. Sample response: Change the column B entry to .

e. Equivalent

Problem 3
Statement
For each situation, write an expression for the new balance using as few terms as possible.

a. A checking account has a balance of -$126.89. A customer makes two deposits, one
times the other, and then withdraws $25.

b. A checking account has a balance of $350. A customer makes two withdrawals, one $50
more than the other. Then he makes a deposit of $75.

Solution
a. $

b. $

(From Unit 6, Lesson 20.)

Problem 4
Statement
Tyler is using the distributive property on the expression . Here is his work:

Mai thinks Tyler’s answer is incorrect. She says, “If expressions are equivalent then they are
equal for any value of the variable. Why don’t you try to substitute the same value for in all
the equations and see where they are not equal?”

a. Find the step where Tyler made an error.

b. Explain what he did wrong.

c. Correct Tyler’s work.

Unit 6 Lesson 22: Combining Like Terms (Part 3) 299

 Solution
Answers vary. Sample response:

a. Try 1:
▪
▪
▪
▪ =
The value of the expression switched in the third step, so that's where the error is.

b. Tyler forgot to distribute to the term in the parentheses.

c. Starting at step 3:

(From Unit 6, Lesson 21.)

Problem 5
Statement
a. If is positive, but is negative, what is one number that could be?

b. If is positive, but is negative, what is one number that could be?

c. If is positive, but is negative, what is one number that could be?

Solution
a. Answers vary. can be any number in between -11 and -4.

b. Answers vary. can be any number in between 3 and 9.

c. Answers vary. can be any number in between 5 and 6, for example, .

(From Unit 6, Lesson 13.)

300 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Lesson 23: Applications of Expressions
Goals
• Determine which order for applying multiple coupons gives the better discount and explain
(orally and in writing) the reasoning.

• Justify (orally, in writing, and using other representations) that two different sequences of
calculations give the same result.

Learning Targets
• I can write algebraic expressions to understand and justify a choice between two options.
Lesson Narrative
In this culminating lesson, students look at several real-world situations that can be represented by
an expression with a variable. In the warm-up, students decide whether each of four expressions is
equivalent to a given expression, recalling what it means for expressions to be equivalent and
relevant terminology. In the following activity, students write expressions corresponding to two
ways of doing a real-world calculation, and explain why the two ways are equivalent. Finally,
students are presented with two coupons to a store (a 20% off coupon and a $30 off coupon), and
use their skills to decide in which order the coupons should be applied to save more money on a
purchase. In this lesson, students write expressions to represent calculation methods, which allows
them to use familiar properties to decide whether two methods are equivalent. This is an example
of decontextualizing and recontextualizing (MP2) and creating a mathematical model to understand
a situation (MP4).

Alignments
Building On
• 7.EE.A.1: Apply properties of operations as strategies to add, subtract, factor, and expand
linear expressions with rational coefficients.

• 7.EE.B: Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic expressions
and equations.

Instructional Routines
• Algebra Talk
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
• Notice and Wonder
Student Learning Goals
• Let’s use expressions to solve problems.

Unit 6 Lesson 23: Applications of Expressions 301

 23.1 Algebra Talk: Equivalent to
Warm Up: 5 minutes
The purpose of this algebra talk is to remind students that expressions can be written in different,
equivalent ways, and to give them an opportunity to recall relevant terminology like “distributive
property.”

Building On
• 7.EE.A.1
Instructional Routines
• Algebra Talk
• MLR8: Discussion Supports
Launch
Display one problem at a time. Give students 30 seconds of quiet think time for each problem and
ask them to give a signal when they have an answer and a strategy. Keep all problems displayed
throughout the talk. Follow with a whole-class discussion.

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. To support working memory, provide students with

sticky notes or mini whiteboards.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Organization

Student Task Statement

Decide whether each expression is equivalent to . Be prepared to explain how you
know.

Student Response
• is equivalent because .

• is not equivalent because by the distributive property, it is equivalent to .

• is equivalent because of the distributive property.

302 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 • is equivalent because if you combine , you get .

Activity Synthesis
Ask students to share their strategies for each problem. Record and display their responses for all
to see. To involve more students in the conversation, consider asking:

• “Who can restate _____’s reasoning in a different way?”

• “Did anyone have the same strategy but would explain it differently?”
• “Did anyone solve the problem in a different way?”
• “Does anyone want to add on to _____’s strategy?”
• “Do you agree or disagree? Why?”

Support for English Language Learners

Speaking: MLR8 Discussion Supports.: Display sentence frames to support students when they
explain their strategy. For example, “First, I _____ because . . .” or “I noticed _____ so I . . . .” Some
students may benefit from the opportunity to rehearse what they will say with a partner before
they share with the whole class.
Design Principle(s): Optimize output (for explanation)

23.2 Two Ways to Calculate

15 minutes
The purpose of this task is to encourage students to represent each situation using an expression
with a variable, so that the calculation methods can be shown to be equivalent in a straightforward
way using familiar properties. This approach will be useful for tackling the next activity. Students
may find other ways of explaining why the calculation methods are equivalent, but the synthesis
should highlight explaining why two expressions that use a variable are equivalent.

Building On
• 7.EE.A.1
• 7.EE.B
Instructional Routines
• MLR7: Compare and Connect
Launch
Depending on the time available, ask each student to respond to 1, 2, or all of the situations. Note
that the last situation is a bit more difficult than the first two.

Unit 6 Lesson 23: Applications of Expressions 303

 Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Activate or supply background knowledge. Allow

students to use calculators to ensure inclusive participation in the activity.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Conceptual processing

Anticipated Misconceptions
For students who have trouble getting started, ask them to first calculate using a few specific
values. For example, calculate the temperature in Fahrenheit if the temperature in celsius is 0
degrees, 5 degrees, 10 degrees, and then use the same operations to write an expression for
degrees. Another option would be to provide a bank of expressions for students to choose from,
rather than asking them to generate the expressions.

Student Task Statement

Usually when you want to calculate something, there is more than one way to do it. For one
or more of these situations, show how the two different ways of calculating are equivalent to
each other.

1. Estimating the temperature in Fahrenheit when you know the temperature in Celsius
a. Double the temperature in Celsius, then add 30.

b. Add 15 to the temperature in Celsius, then double the result.

2. Calculating a 15% tip on a restaurant bill

a. Take 10% of the bill amount, take 5% of the bill amount, and add those two values
together.

b. Multiply the bill amount by 3, divide the result by 2, and then take of that result.

3. Changing a distance in miles to a distance in kilometers

a. Take the number of miles, double it, then decrease the result by 20%.

b. Divide the number of miles by 5, then multiply the result by 8.

Student Response
1. Celsius to Fahrenheit:
a. If represents the temperature in Celsius, this way of calculating can be expressed with
.

b. This way of calculating can be represented with . These are equivalent because
of the distributive property.

2. 15% tip:

304 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 a. If represents the bill amount, this way of calculating can be expressed with
, which is equivalent to by combining like terms.

b. This way of calculating can be represented with . This is equivalent to

because and . This is equivalent to because multiplication is
commutative, and because .

3. miles to kilometers:
a. If represents the distance in miles, this way of calculating can be expressed with
, and then after multiplying. Alternatively, it can be expressed with
, which is equivalent to after multiplying to get and then
combining like terms.

b. This way of calculating can be expressed with , which is equivalent to

because . After rearranging and multiplying, this is also equivalent to .

Activity Synthesis
For each situation, invite at least one student to share their reasoning for why the two calculation
methods are equivalent. Be sure to include, for each situation, an approach that involves writing
expressions that contain a variable and using properties of operations to show that they are
equivalent.

Spend a little time on the last situation, emphasizing that 20% off an amount is the same as 80% of
the amount. That is, if you want to compute decreased by 20%, you can write , because
is equivalent to . This insight will help students write less-complicated expressions in
the next activity.

Support for English Language Learners

Representing, Conversing: MLR 7 Compare and Connect. Use this routine to prepare students for
the whole-class discussion. Give students quiet think time to consider what is the same and
what is different about the two different ways of calculating the last situation. Next, ask
students to share what they noticed with a partner. Listen for and amplify mathematical
language students use to explain why the two ways are equivalent.
Design Principle(s): Cultivate conversation

23.3 Which Way?

15 minutes
The purpose of this activity is to use expressions with a variable to represent applying coupons in a
different order. By analyzing these expression, you learn that no matter how much you spend, you
always pay $6 less if the 20% off coupon is applied first.

Unit 6 Lesson 23: Applications of Expressions 305

 Monitor for how students are approaching the problem. If, once students have an answer, they
have not written expressions with a variable to show the best way to apply the coupons, consider
asking them to try writing an expression using a variable to represent the purchase amount.

Students should be familiar with the idea of coupons and discounts from their work in an earlier
unit. If this is not the case, more time may be needed for the launch to familiarize students with the
context.

Students may notice that if you spend less than $30, the store probably won’t let you take $30 off.
This is a possible constraint, and students who include this constraint are engaging in aspects of
mathematical modeling (MP4).

Building On
• 7.EE.B
Instructional Routines
• Notice and Wonder
Launch
Display the image of two coupons for all to see. Ask students to think of some things they notice
and some things they wonder. Things students might notice:

• There are two coupons to the same store.

• One coupon is for 20% off and one coupon is for $30 off.
Things students might wonder:

• Can you use both coupons on the same purchase?

• Do the coupons expire?
• Is there a minimum or maximum amount you have to spend?
If no students wonder this, ask, “What if you could use both coupons on the same purchase? Should
you deduct 20%, and then $30 from the result? Or the other way around? Does it matter?”

Support for Students with Disabilities

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Provide appropriate reading accommodations and

supports to ensure students access to written directions, word problems, and other text-based
content.
Supports accessibility for: Language; Conceptual processing

306 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Anticipated Misconceptions
If students have trouble getting started, suggest that they calculate which order is better for some
specific purchase amounts.

Student Task Statement

You have two coupons to the same store: one for 20% off and one for $30 off. The cashier will
let you use them both, and will let you decide in which order to use them.

• Mai says that it doesn’t matter in which order you use them. You will get the same
discount either way.

• Jada says that you should apply the 20% off coupon first, and then the $30 off coupon.
• Han says that you should apply the $30 off coupon first, and then the 20% off coupon.
• Kiran says that it depends on how much you are spending.
Do you agree with any of them? Explain your reasoning.

Student Response
It is always better to use the 20% off coupon first.

• Let represent the amount of the purchase.

• 20% off is or equivalent. $30 off that is .

• $30 off is . 20% off that is . By the distributive property, this is equivalent to
.

• Comparing to , your resulting bill will always be $6 less if you use the 20%
off coupon first.

Activity Synthesis
If any students only computed their resulting bill using a specific dollar amount, ask them to
present their solution first. For example, on a $100 purchase, this might look like:

• 20% off is $80. Then $30 off of $80 is $50.

• $30 off is $70. Then 20% off of $70 is $56.

Unit 6 Lesson 23: Applications of Expressions 307

 So if your purchase was $100, it’s better to apply the 20% off coupon first. What about other
purchase amounts? (If students tried other purchase amounts, consider also having them
demonstrate. It is helpful if students see a few different examples that always result in a $6
difference.)

Select a student to present who wrote an expression using a variable for the purchase amount. If
no students did so, demonstrate this approach.

• Let represent the amount of the purchase.

• 20% off is or equivalent. $30 off that is .

• $30 off is . 20% off that is . By the distributive property, this is equivalent to
.

• Comparing to , your resulting bill will always be $6 less if you use the 20%
off coupon first.

308 Teacher Guide Grade 7

Unit 6 Lesson 23: Applications of Expressions 309
 Glossary
absolute value
The absolute value of a number is its distance from 0 on the number line.

The absolute value of -7 is 7, because it is 7 units away from 0. The absolute value of 5 is 5, because
it is 5 units away from 0.

area
Area is the number of square units that cover a two-dimensional region, without any gaps or
overlaps.

For example, the area of region A is 8 square

units. The area of the shaded region of B is
square unit.

area of a circle
If the radius of a circle is units, then the area of the circle is square units.

For example, a circle has radius 3 inches. Its area is square inches, or square inches, which is
approximately 28.3 square inches.

circle
A circle is made out of all the points that are the
same distance from a given point.

For example, every point on this circle is 5 cm

away from point , which is the center of the
circle.

310 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 circumference
The circumference of a circle is the distance around the circle. If you imagine the circle as a piece of
string, it is the length of the string. If the circle has radius then the circumference is .

The circumference of a circle of radius 3 is , which is , or about 18.85.

constant of proportionality
In a proportional relationship, the values for one quantity are each multiplied by the same number
to get the values for the other quantity. This number is called the constant of proportionality.

In this example, the constant of proportionality is

3, because , , and . number of oranges number of apples
This means that there are 3 apples for every 1
orange in the fruit salad. 2 6

3 9

5 15

coordinate plane
The coordinate plane is a system for telling where
points are. For example. point is located at
on the coordinate plane, because it is three
units to the right and two units up.

corresponding
When part of an original figure matches up with part of a copy, we call them corresponding parts.
These could be points, segments, angles, or distances.

Unit 6 Glossary 311

 For example, point in the first triangle
corresponds to point in the second triangle.
Segment corresponds to segment .

deposit
When you put money into an account, it is called a deposit.

For example, a person added $60 to their bank account. Before the deposit, they had $435. After
the deposit, they had $495, because .

diameter
A diameter is a line segment that goes from one edge of a circle to the
other and passes through the center. A diameter can go in any direction.
Every diameter of the circle is the same length. We also use the word
diameter to mean the length of this segment.

equivalent expressions
Equivalent expressions are always equal to each other. If the expressions have variables, they are
equal whenever the same value is used for the variable in each expression.

For example, is equivalent to . No matter what value we use for , these expressions
are always equal. When is 3, both expressions equal 21. When is 10, both expressions equal 70.

equivalent ratios
Two ratios are equivalent if you can multiply each of the numbers in the first ratio by the same
factor to get the numbers in the second ratio. For example, is equivalent to , because
and .

A recipe for lemonade says to use 8 cups of water

and 6 lemons. If we use 4 cups of water and 3 cups of water number of lemons
lemons, it will make half as much lemonade. Both
recipes taste the same, because and are 8 6
equivalent ratios.
4 3

312 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 expand
To expand an expression, we use the distributive property to rewrite a product as a sum. The new
expression is equivalent to the original expression.

For example, we can expand the expression to get the equivalent expression .

factor (an expression)

To factor an expression, we use the distributive property to rewrite a sum as a product. The new
expression is equivalent to the original expression.

For example, we can factor the expression to get the equivalent expression .

long division
Long division is a way to show the steps for dividing numbers in decimal
form. It finds the quotient one digit at a time, from left to right.

For example, here is the long division for .

measurement error
Measurement error is the positive difference between a measured amount and the actual amount.

For example, Diego measures a line segment and gets 5.3 cm. The actual length of the segment is
really 5.32 cm. The measurement error is 0.02 cm, because .

negative number
A negative number is a number that is less than zero. On a horizontal number line, negative
numbers are usually shown to the left of 0.

origin
The origin is the point in the coordinate plane. This is where the horizontal axis and the
vertical axis cross.

Unit 6 Glossary 313

 percent error
Percent error is a way to describe error, expressed as a percentage of the actual amount.

For example, a box is supposed to have 150 folders in it. Clare counts only 147 folders in the box.
This is an error of 3 folders. The percent error is 2%, because 3 is 2% of 150.

percentage
A percentage is a rate per 100.

For example, a fish tank can hold 36 liters. Right now there is 27 liters of water in the tank. The
percentage of the tank that is full is 75%.

percentage decrease
A percentage decrease tells how much a quantity went down, expressed as a percentage of the
starting amount.

For example, a store had 64 hats in stock on Friday. They had 48 hats left on Saturday. The amount
went down by 16.

This was a 25% decrease, because 16 is 25% of 64.

314 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 percentage increase
A percentage increase tell how much a quantity went up, expressed as a percentage of the starting
amount.

For example, Elena had $50 in the bank on Monday. She had $56 on Tuesday. The amount went up
by $6.

This was a 12% increase, because 6 is 12% of 50.

pi ( )
There is a proportional relationship between the diameter and
circumference of any circle. The constant of proportionality is pi.
The symbol for pi is .

We can represent this relationship with the equation ,

where represents the circumference and represents the
diameter.

Some approximations for are , 3.14, and 3.14159.

positive number
A positive number is a number that is greater than zero. On a horizontal number line, positive
numbers are usually shown to the right of 0.

proportional relationship
In a proportional relationship, the values for one quantity are each multiplied by the same number
to get the values for the other quantity.

Unit 6 Glossary 315

 For example, in this table every value of is equal
to 4 times the value of on the same row.

We can write this relationship as . This 2 8

equation shows that is proportional to .
3 12

5 20

10 40

radius
A radius is a line segment that goes from the center to the edge of
a circle. A radius can go in any direction. Every radius of the circle
is the same length. We also use the word radius to mean the
length of this segment.

For example, is the radius of this circle with center .

rational number
A rational number is a fraction or the opposite of a fraction.

For example, 8 and -8 are rational numbers because they can be written as and .

Also, 0.75 and -0.75 are rational numbers because they can be written as and .

reciprocal
Dividing 1 by a number gives the reciprocal of that number. For example, the reciprocal of 12 is ,
and the reciprocal of is .

repeating decimal
A repeating decimal has digits that keep going in the same pattern over and over. The repeating
digits are marked with a line above them.

For example, the decimal representation for is , which means 0.3333333 . . . The decimal

representation for is which means 1.136363636 . . .

scale
A scale tells how the measurements in a scale drawing represent the actual measurements of the
object.

316 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 For example, the scale on this floor plan tells us that 1 inch on the drawing represents 8 feet in the
actual room. This means that 2 inches would represent 16 feet, and inch would represent 4 feet.

scale drawing
A scale drawing represents an actual place or object. All the measurements in the drawing
correspond to the measurements of the actual object by the same scale.

scale factor
To create a scaled copy, we multiply all the lengths in the original figure by the same number. This
number is called the scale factor.

In this example, the scale factor is 1.5, because , , and .

scaled copy
A scaled copy is a copy of an figure where every length in the original figure is multiplied by the
same number.

For example, triangle is a scaled copy of triangle . Each side length on triangle was
multiplied by 1.5 to get the corresponding side length on triangle .

Unit 6 Glossary 317

 solution to an equation
A solution to an equation is a number that can be used in place of the variable to make the
equation true.

For example, 7 is the solution to the equation , because it is true that . The
solution to is not 9, because .

solution to an inequality
A solution to an inequality is a number that can be used in place of the variable to make the
inequality true.

For example, 5 is a solution to the inequality , because it is true that . Some other
solutions to this inequality are 9.9, 0, and -4.

squared
We use the word squared to mean “to the second power.” This is because a square with side length
has an area of , or .

tape diagram
A tape diagram is a group of rectangles put together to represent a relationship between quantities.

For example, this tape diagram shows a ratio of

30 gallons of yellow paint to 50 gallons of blue
paint.

If each rectangle were labeled 5, instead of 10, then the same picture could represent the
equivalent ratio of 15 gallons of yellow paint to 25 gallons of blue paint.

term
A term is a part of an expression. It can be a single number, a variable, or a number and a variable
that are multiplied together. For example, the expression has two terms. The first term is
and the second term is 18.

unit rate
A unit rate is a rate per 1.

For example, 12 people share 2 pies equally. One unit rate is 6 people per pie, because .
The other unit rate is of a pie per person, because .

variable
A variable is a letter that represents a number. You can choose different numbers for the value of
the variable.

For example, in the expression , the variable is . If the value of is 3, then ,

because . If the value of is 6, then , because .

318 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 withdrawal
When you take money out of an account, it is called a withdrawal.

For example, a person removed $25 from their bank account. Before the withdrawal, they had
$350. After the withdrawal, they had $325, because .

Unit 6 Glossary 319

 Attributions
“Notice and Wonder” and “I Notice/I Wonder” are trademarks of the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics, reflecting approaches developed by the Math Forum (http://www.nctm.org/
mathforum/), and used here with permission.

Images that are not the original work of Illustrative Mathematics are in the public domain or
released under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license, and include an appropriate
citation. Images that are the original work of Illustrative Mathematics do not include such a citation.

Image Attributions
Baishamen Park - amusement park - roller coaster, adult-01, by Anna Frodesiak (Own work). Public
Domain. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:Baishamen_Park_-_amusement_park_-_roller_coaster,_adult_-_01.jpg.

320 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Contributors
Version Released 2017
Writing Team
Susan Addington Arias Hathaway Mike Nakamaye
Ashli Black, Grade 8 Lead Bowen Kerins, Assessment Lead Kate Nowak, Instructional Lead
Alicia Chiasson Henry Kranendonk Roxy Peck, Statistics Lead
Mimi Cukier Brigitte Lahme David Petersen
Nik Doran, Engineering Lead Chuck Larrieu Casias Sarah Pikcilingis
Lisa Englard William McCallum, Shukongojin Liz Ramirez, Supports Lead
Sadie Estrella Cam McLeman Lizzy Skousen
Kristin Gray Michelle Mourtgos, Grade 7 Lead Yenche Tioanda, Grade 6 Lead
Donna Gustafson Kristin Umland, Content Lead

Review Team
Lisa Bejarano Preetha Krismen Renee Parsley
Stefanie Buckner Audrey Lesondak Holly Phillips
Jason Catanese Anna-Melissa Lyons Lindsay Powers
Erin Chavez Janice Mak Linda Smith
Kristine Cunningham Kathy Martin Jennifer Trujillo
David Parascand Alphonese Wilson

Supports for Students with Disabilities

Bridget Dunbar
Andrew Gael
Anthony Rodriguez

Supports for English Language Learners

Vinci Daro Sara Rutherford-Quach Steven Weiss
Jack Dieckmann Renae Skarin Jeff Zwiers
James Malamut

Digital Activities Development

Jed Butler Carrie Ott
John Golden Jen Silverman, Lead

Unit 6 Contributors 321

 Copy Editing
Emily Flanagan Cathy Kessel, Lead
Carolyn Hemmings Nicole Lipitz
Tiana Hynes Robert Puchalik

Project Management
Aubrey Neihaus
Olivia Mitchell Russell, Lead
Engineering
Dan Blaker Brendan Shean
Eric Connally Jon Norstrom

Teacher Professional Learning

Vanessa Cerrahoglu
Craig Schneider
Jennifer Wilson

Image Alt Text

Donna Gustafson Gretchen Hovan
Kia Johnson-Portee, Lead Mary Cummins
Deb Barnum

Image Development
Josh Alves Tiffany Davis Caroline Marks
Rob Chang Jessica Haase Megan Phillips
Rodney Cooke Christina Jackyra, Lead Siavash Tehrani

Support Team
Madeleine Lowry Alex Silverman
Marsaili Lowry Melody Spencer
Nick Silverman Hannah Winkler

Additional Contributors, Version Released 2019

Writing Team
Toni Brokaw Angela Harris
Patti Drawdy Jenise Sexton
Andrew Giang

322 Teacher Guide Grade 7

 Supports for Students with Disabilities and English Language
Learners
Kim Anthony Taren Kobyra Bernadette Salgarino
Erin BeMent Angel Kuo Craig Schneider
Libby Butler April LeMense Erin Smith
Patricia Gorse Medina Pina Linda Smith
Janet Hollister Moises Rivera Margaret Taranto

Copy Editing
Sue Rice

Project Management
Celeana Garrett

Engineering
Jim Whiteman

Image Alt Text

Liza Bondurant
Ann Crilley
Becca Phillips

Support Team
Parker Berger

Unit 6 Contributors 323

Notes
Notes