For Teacher Use:

Recommended lesson structure:

Lesson 1: Solving simple linear equations Go >

Lesson 2: When variable appears on both sides/brackets Go >
Lesson 3: Forming and solving equations from context. Go >
Lesson 4: Introducing variables to solve equations. Go >
Lesson 5: Solving Equations Levelled Activity (separate)
Lesson 6: Consolidation/Mini-assessment
KEY TERMS

This is an example of a:
3
2𝑥 Term
?
A term is a product of numbers and variables
(no additions/subtractions)

3 𝑥+2 Expression
? of one or more
An expression is composed
terms, whether added or otherwise.

2
5 𝑥 +1=2 Equation
? expressions on the
An equation says that the
left and right hand side of the = have the same
value.
STARTER

The perimeter of this

work of art is 32.
3 𝑛+1 By trial and error (or any
other method), find .

9 −𝑛
𝑛= 3?
If we added all four sides of the painting to
get the perimeter, we’d have:

And we’re told the perimeter is 32, so

. We’ll see today how to ‘solve’ equations like
this so we can find .
Equations must always be ‘balanced’

We already know that the ‘=’ symbol means each side

of the equation must have the same value.

𝑎=4
+2 +2

2 a 2 4 𝑎+ 2 ¿ 6
¿
If we added something to one side of the equation,
what do we have to do with the other side?
Equations must always be ‘balanced’

If we tripled the load on one side of the scales,

what do we have to do with the other side?

𝑎=4
×3 ×3
a
a a
4
4 4 3𝑎 ¿ 12
¿
Solving

!To solve an equation means that we find the value of

the variable(s).

3 𝑛+1
4 𝑛+20=32
Strategy: To get on its own on
9 −𝑛 one side of the equation, we
gradually need to ‘claw away’
the things surrounding it.
Solving Bro Note: You can probably see the answer to this in your
head because the equation is relatively simple, but this full
method is crucial when things become more complicated

4 𝑛+20=32 Strategy: Do the opposite

operation to ‘get rid of’ items
surrounding our variable.
?
-20 ?
-20

4 𝑛=12 ?
𝑥+4
-4?
𝑥
?
4 4?
?
𝑛= 3 ?
3𝑦 3
𝑦
𝑧 ?
×6
Bro Tip: Many students find writing these
operations between each equation helpful to
remind them what they’re doing to each side, but 6 𝑧
you’ll eventually want to wean yourself off these.
Test Your Understanding

3 𝑛 −5=13
?
+5 ?
+5

3 𝑛=18 ?

?
3 ?
3

𝑛= 6 ?
When the solution is not a whole number

4 +6 𝑧=18
Your Go…

3=20+4𝑥
?
-4 -4?

6 𝑧=14 ?
?
?
6 6?

14 7
𝑧= ? =
Bro Note: In algebra,
we tend to give our

16 3
answers as fractions
rather than decimals
(unless asked).
And NEVER EVER EVER
recurring decimals.
Dealing with Fractions

𝑥
3+ =28
5
?
-3 -3?
𝑥
?=25
5
?
×5 ?
×5

𝑥=125 ?
What step next?
Use your planners to vote for the step that
would be easiest to do next in solving the
equation.

×  + -
2𝑥+7=5
×
-7

2 𝑥=−2
 +
-7

-
3 𝑥=9
×
3

𝑥=3
 +
3

-
−1+7𝑥=13
×
+1

7 𝑥=14
 +
+1

-
 ×3 ×3
𝑦 =27
×  + -
 −𝑥=2
Multiplying by -1 or dividing by -1
would have the same effect.

(-1) (-1)

𝑥=−2
×  + -
Exercise 1

𝑥
Solve the following equations, 14 ?
showing full working.
15 ?
1 ?
2 ? 16 ?
3 ?

=5𝒙=𝟑𝟓
4 ? 17 ?
5 ? 18 ?
6 ?
7 ? 19 ?
?
20 ?

7
8

9 ?
21 ?
22 ?
10 ?
11 ? 23 ?
12 ?
24 ?
13 ? N ?
What happens if variable appears on both sides?

5 𝑎+ 3=2 𝑎+9
What might our strategy be?
Collect the variable terms (i.e. The terms involving a) on one side of the
equation, and the ‘constants’ (i.e. The
? individual numbers) on the other
side.
What happens if variable appears on both sides?
Strategy? Collect the variable terms on the side of the equation where
there’s more of them (and move ? constant terms to other side).
Let’s move the ‘’
terms to the left (as
5 > 2) and the
constants to the
5 𝑎+ 3=2 𝑎+9
right.
-3 -3
This is to get rid
of the constant
term on the left. 5 𝑎=2 𝑎+6 ?
We could
have done
?
-2a ?
-2a these two

3 𝑎=6
steps in
either order.
?
?
3 ?
3

𝑎=2 ?
More Examples

11 𝑥 − 4=2 𝑥 − 13 3 𝑦 + 4=8 𝑦 −5

𝑥=−?1 9
𝑦= ?
5
Way we’d have 5=3 − 3 𝑥 Or where we put term on
side where it’s positive:

5+3𝑥=3
previously done it…

2=−3 𝑥
Both methods are valid,
but I prefer the second
– it’s best to avoid
? dividing by negative ?
numbers, and is less
likely to lead to error.
Test Your Understanding

3𝑥−3=𝑥+5 ?

3−5𝑥=5+2𝑥 ?
Dealing with Brackets
If there’s any brackets, simply expand them first!

2 (2 𝑥+3)=9 3−4 (2 𝑥−3 )=7𝑥

? ?
Test Your Understanding

7 (3 𝑥−1)=21+14𝑥
?
5−2( 𝑥+2)=4−3(2−𝑥)
?
Exercise 2

3 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 4 𝒙 =𝟐
Solve the following.
1 ? 16 ?
2 ?
3 ? 17 ?
4 ? 18 ?
5 ?
6 ? 19 ?
7 ?
8 ?
20 ?
9 ?
21 ?
10 ? 22 ?
11 ? N ?
12 ?
13 ?
14 ?
15 ?
Year 7 Forming and Solving
Equations
Dr J Frost ([email protected])
RECAP :: Forming/Solving Process
Worded problem
[JMC 2008 Q18] Granny swears that she is getting younger. She has
calculated that she is four times as old as I am now, but remember that 5
years ago she was five times as old as I was at that time. What is the sum of
our ages now?

Stage 1: Represent Stage 2: ‘Solve’ equation(s)

problem algebraically to find value of variables.
Let be my age and be
Granny’s age.

We previously learnt how to form expressions given a worded context.

We’ll learn how to actually solve these equations formed now! We’ll first
focus on problems where the expressions have already been specified.
Example
The angles of a triangle are as
pictured. Determine .
𝒙+𝟏𝟎 Step 1: Think of a sentence which would have the
word “is” in it. Write each part of sentence as an
algebraic expression, with “is” giving =.

Step 2: Solve!
𝟐𝒙 𝒙 −𝟓𝟎
Sentence with is“is””in it?
“Sum of angles

𝑥+10+2𝑥+𝑥−50=180
Expr 1? Expr 2?

Solve!
Another Example

𝑥+ 4

3
𝑥

10
The rectangle and triangle have the same “Area“is” sentence?
of triangle is area of rect”
area. Determine the width of the rectangle.
Expr 1? Expr 2?
Therefore width of
rectangle is
Solve!
Check Your Understanding
1 The following diagram shows the angles
3𝑥 of a quadrilateral. Determine .
2 𝑥 +10 “Total angle
Expr 1? is Expr 2?
360”
2 𝑥 +20 120
Solve!

2 The area of the triangle is 1 more than the

𝑥+ 4 𝑥 area of the parallelogram. Determine .
Area of is 1 more than area of par
Expr 1? Expr 2?
5 12
Solve!
N [JMO 1999 A9] Skimmed milk contains 0.1% fat and pasteurised whole milk contains
4% fat. When 6 litres of skimmed milk are mixed with litres of pasteurised whole milk,
the fat content of the resulting mixture is 1.66%. What is the value of ?
Fat content of skimmed + Fat content of pasteurised = fat content of mixture
?
Exercise 3 (See printed sheet)

1 The ages of three cats are and . Their total age is 7 [JMC 1998 Q18] The three angles of a
21. Determine . triangle are , , . Which statement about
the triangles is correct? It is:
?
Three angles in a triangle are and . What is ? A right-angled isosceles
B right-angled, but not isosceles
2 C equilateral
?
Two angles on a straight line are and . What is ? D obtuse-angled and isosceles
3 E none of A-D Solution: C
?
The perimeter of this rectangle is 44. What is ? ?
The following triangle is isosceles.
4 Solution: 7 Determine its perimeter (by first
8
? 2 𝑥 +3 determining ).

𝑥 −2
The area of this rectangle
3 𝑥+10
is 48. Determine .
5 𝑥+5
𝑥+5
?
An equilateral triangle has lengths 4
. What is ?
6 5 𝑥 −50
? Perimeter =
?
Exercise 3 (See printed sheet)

9 [JMO 2013 A7] Calculate the value of in 11 A very large jug of litres of orange
the diagram shown? squash is 10% concentrate (the rest
Solution: 36
? water). When 5 litres of concentrate
is added the jug is now 12%
concentrate.
a. Form an equation in terms of
(by considering the amount
of concentrate we have).
10 In the following diagram,
, and . Determine . ? .
b. Hence determine

𝐴
7𝑥 ?
𝐷

9𝑥 𝐶
𝐵
𝟗𝒙+𝟗𝒙+𝟐𝒙=𝟏𝟖𝟎
?
Forming the expressions yourself
Enoch is 5m shorter than Alex. Hajun is double the height
of Alex. Their combined height is 35m. Find Alex’s height.

Let Alex’s height be . Use the word “Let …” to

? define your variable(s)!
Then Enoch’ height is .
Hajun’s height is?. You want a clear narrative
while being as concise as
Then: possible.

Alex’s height is ?
10m.
More Examples
[JMC 2013 Q7] After tennis training, Andy collects twice as
many balls as Roger and five more than Maria. They collect
35 balls in total. How many balls does Andy collect?
Let be the number of balls Roger collects.
Then Andy collects balls and Maria collects .
Total balls collected:
?
So Andy collected balls.

[TMC Regional 2014 Q9] In a list of seven consecutive numbers a

quarter of the smallest number is five less than a third of the largest
number. What is the value of the smallest number in the list?
Let smallest number be . Then numbers are
Therefore

So smallest number is 36. ?

Test Your Understanding
1 The length of the rectangle is three
times the width. The total perimeter is
56m. Determine its width.
Let be the width of the rectangle.
Then the length is . Bro Reminder: You
Then the perimeter is: should usually start
? with “Let …”
The width is 7m.

2 In 4 years time I will be 3 times as old as I was 10 years ago.

How old am I?
Let be my age.
Then
?
Exercise 4 (See printed sheet)

1 The sum of 5 consecutive numbers 4 I have three times as many cats as Alice
is 200. What is the smallest but Bob has 7 less cats than me. In total
number? we have 56 cats. How many cats do I
Solution: 38 (a quick non-algebraic have?
Solution: 27
method is to realise the middle
? of the five ?
number is the average
numbers, i.e. 40) 5 Bob is twice as old as Alice at the
moment. In 4 years time their total age
2 In 5 years time I will be 5 times as will be 71. What is Alice’s age now?
old as I was 11 years ago. Form a 4 years time: Alice Bob
suitable equation, and hence ?
determine my age.
[TMC Final 2012 Q1] A Triple Jump
?
In 6 years time I will be twice as old
6
consists of a hop, step and jump. The
3 as I was 8 years ago. Determine my length of Keith’s step was three-quarters
age. of the length of his hop and the length of
his jump was half the length of his step.
If the total length of Keith’s triple jump
? was 17m, what was the length of his hop,
in metres?
Solution: 8 metres
?
Exercise 4 (See printed sheet)

7 [JMO 2003 A6] Given a “starting” number, you double it

and add 1, then divide the answer by 1 less than the
starting number to get the “final” number. If you start
with 2, your final number is 5. If you start with 4, your
final number is 3. What starting number gives the final
number 4?

?
Exercise 4 (See printed sheet)

8 [JMO 2012 A3] In triangle , ; is a point on such 10 [JMC 2012 Q24] After playing 500
that and . What is the size of ? games, my success rate in Spider
Solitaire is 49%. Assuming I win every
game from now on, how many extra
games do I need to play in order that my
success rate increases to 50%?
A 1 B 2 C 5 D 10 E 50
Solution: Let , then and . Angles in : Let be the number of extra games
played. Then, giving 245 games were
Then won before:

? ?
(Note: it’s easier to just exploit the fact it’s multiple
[JMO 2005 A8] A large container holds 14 litres choice and try the options!)
of a solution which is 25% antifreeze, the
remainder being water. How many litres of [JMO 2008 A9] In the diagram, is the
antifreeze must be added to the container to N1 bisector of angle .
9 make a solution which is 30% antifreeze? Also and . What is the size of angle ?
Let be the amount of antifreeze added in
litres. 25% of 14 is 3.5. Thus:
Let . Filling in the angles using the
information we find angles in are
and . This gives .

? ?
(Note: this is not intended to
be a full proof!)
Exercise 4 (See printed sheet)

N2 [JMO 2010 A10] Inn the diagram, and N3 [JMO 2013 B2] Pippa thinks of a number. She adds
are parallel. and . Find the size of 1 to it to get a second number. She then adds 2 to
angle . the second number to get a third number, adds 3
to the third to get a fourth, and finally adds 4 to
the fourth to get a fifth number.
Pippa’s brother Ben also thinks of a number but he
60 ° subtracts 1 to get a second. He then subtracts 2
𝑥−60° 𝑥 from the second to get a third, and so on until he
60°
300−2𝑥 𝑥
has five numbers.
They discover that the sum of Pippa’s five
𝑥 numbers is the same as the sum of Ben’s five
𝑥−60°
𝑥 numbers. What is the difference between the two
numbers of which they first thought?

Since and are parallel, and are Let be Pippa’s first number. Then her numbers
are . Sum is .
cointerior so add to .
Let be Ben’s first number. Then his numbers are .
If we let , we can eventually find the
angles as pictured. ? Sum is
We’re told and the difference between their two
?
starting numbers is . Rearranging:
Exercise 4 (See printed sheet)

N4 [JMO 2005 B4] In this figure is a straight line

and . Also, .
Find the size of .
(Full proof needed)

Full proof:

Let
Then (base angles of isosceles are equal)
(base angles of isosceles are equal)
(exterior angle of triangle is sum of two interior angles)
(base angles of isosceles are equal)
The angles in a triangle sum to . Using ?
the angles in :

(We could have also used the angles in )