Checkpoints

Year 8 diagnostic mathematics activities

Solving linear
equations
Sixteen Checkpoint activities
Ten additional activities

Published in 2021/22
 Checkpoints 1–7

Checkpoint Underpins Code

1: 2x + 3
2: Equations for heights again Representing with algebra
3: Raisins 2.2.1
2.2.2
4: Balanced scales?
2.2.3
5: Expressions and equations 2.2.4
Equality
6: How far apart?
7: Equal equations

*This three-digit code refers to the statement of knowledge, skills and understanding in the NCETM’s
Sample Key Stage 3 Curriculum Framework (see notes below for more information).
 Checkpoints 8–16

Checkpoint Underpins Code

8: Back to 20
9a: Make a trail part 1
Inverse operations
9b: Make a trail part 2
10: Inverse
2.2.1
11: At the cafe 2.2.2
12: Always eight? 2.2.3
2.2.4
13: Might and must
Solutions to equations
14: Brackets
15: Comparing solutions
16: What do we know about m?

*This three-digit code refers to the statement of knowledge, skills and understanding in the NCETM’s
Sample Key Stage 3 Curriculum Framework (see notes below for more information).
Representing with algebra

Checkpoints 1–3
Checkpoint 1: 2x + 3

1 Each image shows a representation of 2x + 3 against

a bar. The bar is fixed at 15 units long.
a) Estimate the value of x in each bar model.
2
b) How certain are you that your answer is exact?
Why?
3

5
How would your answers change if the value of the blue
(top) bar is doubled? When would the value of x double?
When would it be more/less than double?
Checkpoint 2: Equations for heights again

Look at the picture of Elinor and Ben.

a) What do you know about their heights? What do you not know?
Elinor writes an equation for their heights: m + 15 = n.
b) Which letter represents Elinor’s height? Which represents
Ben’s height?
c) Ben is 145 cm tall. How might Elinor adapt her equation to
include this information?
d) The equation p = n – 20 gives Oscar’s height. Write an
equation connecting Oscar and Elinor’s height.

Elinor, Ben and Oscar all lie down head to toe. Write an
expression to show all three heights combined in this way.
Is there more than one expression you could write?
Checkpoint 3: Raisins

Every day, Mazhar takes a box of raisins to school in his lunchbox.

• On Monday, he gives some raisins to a friend.
• On Tuesday, he shares them equally between the students on his table.
• On Wednesday, he is given some raisins by a friend.
• On Thursday, he accidentally brings more than one box of raisins.
• On Friday, he gives some to a friend and then shares the rest equally
with some other students.

Match one of the expressions on

the right to each day.

For those expressions that you did not use, write a

description explaining how the raisins are shared.
Equality
Checkpoints 4–7
Checkpoint 4: Balanced scales?
These scales are balanced.
If each set of two items in a to d below was placed on
either side of the scales, would they balance?

a) b)

These scales are not balanced.

c) d)

For the scales that are not balanced, which set of items is heavier? Is a
hexagon heavier or lighter than a triangle?
If the scales had a total of three triangles, could you make them balance?
Checkpoint 5: Expressions and equations

a) Choose two expressions from the box on the right 8 + 10 + 12

to make this equation true:
6×5
50 – 20 3 × 10
=
3×5×2 a
Another expression is added to the box:
(7.5 – 2.5) × 6 2a + 1
3 × 10 + 1
b) If this expression is used in the equation, which
other expressions could be used to make it true? 9 + 10 + 11

Think of your own expression using a. What

equations can you create using this expression?
What would be the value of a each time?
Checkpoint 6: How far apart?

The expression 3a + 5 is 4 more than the expression 3a + 1.

Which of the pairs of expressions a to d is furthest apart?

a) b) c) d)
3a + 2 3a + 6 3a + 20 12 + 3a
3(a + 2) 3(2 + a) 3(7 + a) 3(a + 6)

Choose two numbers to complete these

5a + __ two expressions so that they are:
• 12 apart
5(a + __)
• 3 apart
• the same
• as close together as possible.
Checkpoint 7: Equal equations

a) If w = 15, fill in the gaps so that each of these equations is true .

___ = 16 10w = ___ ___ = 5

w – 9 = ___ ___ = 30 w ÷ 10 = ___

b) If w + y = 15, fill in the gaps so that each of these equations is true.

___ = 16 2(w + y) = ___ ___ = 3

60 = ___ 2w + y = ___ ___ = 15 – y

If 2w = 15, what other equations can you write?

How about if 2w + y = 15?
Inverse operations
Checkpoints 8–10
Checkpoint 8: Back to 20

For each of the function machines:

a) Decide which of the two equations given below it represents.
b) Work out what would need to go in the machine to ‘get back to 20’.

1 8 ×4 2 ÷8 +4 3 8 +4

20 20 20

20 20+ 4
+4 =6.5 3=
8 8

Create other function machines using two operations and the

numbers 8 and 4. When does order matter? When does it not?
Checkpoint 9a: Make a trail part 1

54 × 91= 4 914
Work out:
a)
b)
Make a different trail, starting from 54 × 91,
c) that has the same finishing number as your
answer to part d. Can you make three
d)
different trails all with the same outcome?
Checkpoint 9b: Make a trail part 2

Becky made the calculation trail below. The result of the trail is 8 002.

2× (
732 × 17 − 444
3
+1 =8002 )
Use this to work out the answers to:
a)

b) Make a reverse trail for this calculation,

so that you can write down the value of .
c)

d)
Checkpoint 10: Inverse

a) Hamsa uses a calculator to work out that 31.5 × 17.2 + 10 = 551.8

Without using a calculator, write down 541.8  17.2

b) Mike uses a calculator to work out that (106.3 + 10.1) × 35.9 = 4178.76
Without using a calculator, write down 4178.76  116.4

c) Alex uses a calculator to work out that (23 × 277 – 1) 10 = 637
Without using a calculator, write down 23 × 277

Write your own question like those above. Make sure that it’s
easy to work out the final answer without using a calculator.
Solutions to equations
Checkpoints 11–16
Checkpoint 11: At the cafe

The pictures show three orders of fruit juice, tea and cookies in a cafe.
They also show the cost of each order.
0

0
5

5
6.

4.

4.
£1

£1

£1
Is it possible to work out the price of one of each item?

Surinder orders two teas, two cookies, two milkshakes and a cake.
The total cost is £15. What can you work out? Is it possible to work
out the price of a milkshake? A cake?
Checkpoint 12: Always eight?

Sort these equations into the correct columns

of the table on the right. a is a is a is
always 8 sometimes 8 never 8

a + 11 = 19 2a = 4 4a = 32

a + b = 19 a÷b=1 a–8=b

32 = a ÷ 4 3a = 24 8a = 16

24 = 3a = 16 2a = a + 4

3a = b 2a – 20 = 8

Write your own more challenging equations for each column.

Checkpoint 13: Might and must

This equation is true: ab = 20.

a) What might be the values of a and b?
This equation is still true: ab = 20, and this equation is also true: a + b = 9.
b) Which of your answers to part a must now be the values of a and b?

This equation is true: ab = 10

c) What might be the values of a and b?
This equation is still true: ab = 10, and this equation is also true: a – b = 1.5
d) Which of your answers to part c must now be the values of a and b?

Create an equation that might have values of 10 and 2.

Create a pair of equations that must have values of 10 and 2.
Checkpoint 14: Brackets

In which equation in each pair will a have the greater

value? How do you know?

a) 4a + 8 = 20 b) 4a + 1 = 20 c) 4a – 3 = 20
4(a + 2) = 20 4(a + 1) = 20 4(a – 3) = 20

d) 4a + 5 = 20 4a + b = 20
4(a – 1) = 20 4(a + b) = 20
Checkpoint 15: Comparing solutions

a) Without solving the equations on the right,

decide for which one a would: 3a = 9 a+3=9
● have the greatest value
a÷3=9 a–3=9
● be even
● be a multiple of 3.
b) Repeat part a for the two sets of equations below. Which
of your answers change and which stay the same?

3a = -6 a + 3 = -6 3a = 0.9 a + 3 = 0.9
a ÷ 3 = -6 a – 3 = -6 a ÷ 3 = 0.9 a – 3 = 0.9

Create your own set of equations using all four operations.

Can you create a set where the addition has the greatest
value of a?
Checkpoint 16: What do we know about m?

Complete the table. The first one has been done for you.
If… m is m is m is more
even positive than 40
a) gives an odd number greater than 10  ?
b) gives an even number less than 100
c) gives a negative number
d) gives an even number greater than 40
e) gives an odd number greater than 20
f) gives an odd number more than 200
g) gives an even number more than 8

Write your own expression for . Can you write a description for it that will have
‘yes’ in every column? How about ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’?
Additional activities

Activities A–J
Activity A: More expressions and equations

a) Choose two expressions from the box to

complete the equation below. Are there any
50 – a 6×a
pairs of expressions that you cannot use? 8 + a + 12 3×a
30 9 + a + 11
=
20 + a 25 + a
b) What value of a would make the equation true?
3×a×2 36

For the pairs of expressions that you could

not use, change one thing so that they can
now form an equation. What value of a would
make that equation true?
Activity B: Ordering expressions

In each of the expressions below, a is the same positive number.

3a + 2 3(a + 2) 3a + 6 3a + 12 3(a + 5)

3a + 4 3(a + 3) 3a + 3 3(a + 6) 3(a + 1)

a) Which expression is the biggest? How do you know?

b) Which expressions have the same value?
c) Write all ten expressions in order from smallest to largest.

Write an expression in between each of the expressions in

your order. Is it always possible to do this using brackets?
Activity C: Expressions on the number line

The number line below is going up in ones.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q

3a + 2
Sarah chooses a value for a and places the expression 3a + 2
on the number line.
Match the expressions below to their places on the number line.

3(a + 2) 3a + 8 3a + 6 3(a + 3) 3(a + 5)

Write expressions for the missing places on the number line.

Is there more than one way to do this?
Activity D: If I know…

Nell writes down the equation a + b = 40.

She thinks about some other equations that she now knows using this fact.
Which are true and which are false? Why?

𝑎+ 𝑏
3𝑎+𝑏=120
a) b) c)
a + b + 10 = 30
=20
2
d) e)
a = 40 + b 10(a + b) = 400

Using a + b = 40, write some other equations that

you know are true. Can you think of an equation
nobody else has?
Activity E: The same or different?

Anil and Bay are finding the mean of their

heights. They add their heights together 𝑎+ 𝑏 𝑎
+𝑏
and divide by two. 2 2
Anil write the equations down and says,
‘There are four different ways I can write
this calculation as an algebraic 𝑎 𝑏 𝑏
+ 𝑎+
expression.’ 2 2 2
Do you agree? Why or why not?

Is there a value of a and b for which all four

expressions are equivalent?
Activity F: Back to x

For each of the function machines below:

a) Decide which of the two equations given below it represents.
b) Work out what would need to go in the machine to ‘get back to x’.

1 ×3 +7 2 +7 ÷ 3 3 −3 +7
𝑥 𝑥 𝑥

𝑥
+7=9
𝑥 +7
3 3=
3

Create other function machines using two operations and

the numbers 7 and 3. When order of operations matter?
When does it not?
Activity G: Empty boxes

In the equation on the right, both the

missing numbers are less than 10. +9=

a) Chloe chooses a number less than nine for her second box.
What must that mean for her first box?
b) Laura chooses a number that is not an integer for her first
box. What must that mean for her second box?
c) Hayley places a 0 in one of her boxes. What could her other
box be?
d) Repeat parts a to c for this equation: ×9=

Repeat parts a to c for the equations

on the right. What is the same and −9= 9− =
different about your answers this time?
Activity H: Incorrect homework

Barney has done his algebra a) d)

homework.
a) Without solving or substituting,
can you tell which of his b) e)
solutions are correct and which
are incorrect?
c) f)
b) Explain how you know.

For each of the incorrect answers, write an equation

for which that value of n would be the solution.
Activity I: Is g even?

Complete the table using , x or ? The first one has been done for you.
If… g is even
a) gives an odd number
b) gives an even number
c) gives a negative number
d) gives an even number
e) gives an odd number
f) gives an odd number
g) gives an even number

Write your own expression for . Can you write a description for it where
will be even? How about odd or ‘don’t know’?
Activity J: Is j more than 40?

Complete the table using , x or ? The first one has been done for you.

If… j is more than 40

a) gives a number greater than 10 ?
b) gives a number less than 100
c) gives a number less than 0
d) gives a number greater than 40
e) gives a number greater than 20
f) gives a number more than 200
g) gives a number more than 8

Write your own expression for Can you write a description for it where
will be more than 40? How about less than 40 or ‘don’t know’?
Printable resources
a) If w = 15, fill in the gaps so that each of these equations is
true.

b) If w + y = 15, fill in the gaps so that each of these equations is

true.

a) If w = 15, fill in the gaps so that each of these equations is

true.

b) If w + y = 15, fill in the gaps so that each of these equations is

true.

a) If w = 15, fill in the gaps so that each of these equations is

true.

b) If w + y = 15, fill in the gaps so that each of these equations is

true.
1 8 ×4 2 ÷8 +4 3 8 +4

20 20 20

20 20+ 4
+4 =6.5 3=
8 8

1 8 ×4 2 ÷8 +4 3 8 +4

20 20 20

20 20+ 4
+4 =6.5 3=
8 8
Checkpoint 9a: Make a trail Checkpoint 9b: Make a trail 2

54 × 91= 4 914 2× ( 732 ×17 −444

3
+1 =8002 )
Work out:
Use this to work out the answer to:
a)
a)

b) b)

c) c)

d) d)

Make a different trail, starting from 54 × 91,

that has the same finishing number as your Make a reverse trail for this calculation, so that you
answer to part d. Can you make three can write down the value of .
different trails all with the same outcome?
a + 11 = 19 a + 11 = 19 a + 11 = 19 a + 11 = 19
2a = 4 2a = 4 2a = 4 2a = 4
4a = 32 4a = 32 4a = 32 4a = 32
a + b = 19 a + b = 19 a + b = 19 a + b = 19
a÷b=1 a÷b=1 a÷b=1 a÷b=1
a–8=b a–8=b a–8=b a–8=b
32 = a ÷ 4 32 = a ÷ 4 32 = a ÷ 4 32 = a ÷ 4
3a = 24 3a = 24 3a = 24 3a = 24
8a = 16 8a = 16 8a = 16 8a = 16
24 = 3a 24 = 3a 24 = 3a 24 = 3a
= 16 = 16 = 16 = 16
3a = b 3a = b 3a = b 3a = b
2a = a + 4 2a = a + 4 2a = a + 4 2a = a + 4
2a – 20 = 8 2a – 20 = 8 2a – 20 = 8 2a – 20 = 8
The number line below is going up in ones.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q

3a + 2
Match the expressions below to their places on the number line.

3(a + 2) 3a + 8 3a + 6 3(a + 3) 3(a + 5)

The number line below is going up in ones.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q

3a + 2
Match the expressions below to their places on the number line.

3(a + 2) 3a + 8 3a + 6 3(a + 3) 3(a + 5)

1 ×3 +7 2 +7 ÷ 3 3 −3 +7
𝑥 𝑥 𝑥

𝑥
+7=9
𝑥 +7
3 3=
3

1 ×3 +7 2 +7 ÷ 3 3 −3 +7
𝑥 𝑥 𝑥

𝑥
+7=9
𝑥 +7
3 3=
3
a) d) a) d)

b) e) b) e)

c) f) c) f)

a) d) a) d)

b) e) b) e)

c) f) c) f)
 If… g is even If… g is even
a) gives an odd number a) gives an odd number
b) gives an even number b) gives an even number
c) gives a negative number c) gives a negative number
d) gives an even number d) gives an even number
e) gives an odd number e) gives an odd number
f) gives an odd number f) gives an odd number
g) gives an even number g) gives an even number

If… g is even If… g is even

a) gives an odd number a) gives an odd number
b) gives an even number b) gives an even number
c) gives a negative number c) gives a negative number
d) gives an even number d) gives an even number
e) gives an odd number e) gives an odd number
f) gives an odd number f) gives an odd number
g) gives an even number g) gives an even number
 If… j is more If… j is more
than 40 than 40
a) gives a number greater than 10 ? a) gives a number greater than 10 ?
b) gives a number less than 100 b) gives a number less than 100
c) gives a number less than 0 c) gives a number less than 0
d) gives a number greater than 40 d) gives a number greater than 40
e) gives a number greater than 20 e) gives a number greater than 20
f) gives a number more than 200 f) gives a number more than 200
g) gives a number more than 8 g) gives a number more than 8

If… j is more If… j is more

than 40 than 40
a) gives a number greater than 10 ? a) gives a number greater than 10 ?
b) gives a number less than 100 b) gives a number less than 100
c) gives a number less than 0 c) gives a number less than 0
d) gives a number greater than 40 d) gives a number greater than 40
e) gives a number greater than 20 e) gives a number greater than 20
f) gives a number more than 200 f) gives a number more than 200
g) gives a number more than 8 g) gives a number more than 8