Introducing Algebraic

Equations
Nathan Day
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@DrFrostMaths

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Last modified:25th June 2024 charity in England and Wales (no
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Teacher Notes
Prerequisite
Knowledge Future Links
• Use and interpret algebraic • Solving equations with brackets.
notation, including: • Solving equations with
– in place of , unknowns on both sides.
– in place of and , • Solving equations with roots or
– in place of , powers.
– coefficients written as • Forming and solving equations
fractions rather than as from contexts.
decimals.
• Calculations with fractions
• Calculations with negative
numbers
• Substitution
• Collecting like terms
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Skills in this Lesson
190 Algebraic terminology
190a Distinguish between constants, variables, terms, expressions, equations
and formulae.
256 Finding integer solutions to linear equations (linear Diophantine
equations)
256a Determine positive integer solutions to
256b Determine positive integer solutions to a problem in context that can be
modelled as an equation of the form
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 Show

Recap all
solutio
ns

1 Fill in the gaps

a ? b ? c ?

d ? e ? f
?

g h i
? ? ?

2 Substitute the given value of into each expression:

a b c

? ? ?
? ? ?
? ? ?
The Big Idea: Equations and Variables
What is an
equation?
An equation is a mathematical statement that two expressions are
equal, as shown by the equals symbol ().

One example of an equation is:

This could be read as ‘the value of is equal to the value of plus ’.

This equation has two variables, and .

What are variables?

A variable is a symbol that represents a mathematical value.

Variables can be used to represent a quantity that can change (vary)
or an unknown number.
The Big Idea: Solutions and Solving Equations
What is a solution of an
equation?
A solution of an equation is a value of a variable that makes the equation
true.

For example, is the solution to the equation

because does indeed equal .

However, is not a solution to the equation

because equals , not .

The process of finding the solution to an equation is called

‘solving the equation’.
Test Your Understanding

Use substitution to check whether Basma’s solution is

correct.

Solve the equation:

Basma

Fill in the gaps so that Basma’s solution is also correct for these
equations.

a 3 𝑥+ 6=30
? b 2 𝑥 −3=13
? c 1?0 𝑥+1=81
Test Your Understanding

Use substitution to check whether Hannah’s solution is

correct.

Solve the equation:

Hannah

How could you change the equation to make Hannah’s solution

correct?
a 7 𝑥+ 5=𝟐𝟔
Change the ? b 7 𝑥+𝟏𝟏=32
Change the ? c 𝟗 Change
𝑥+5=32 the ?
Test Your Understanding

Which of the equations has Abdi correctly found the

solution to?

? ?

2 𝑥+3=− 11 ?

?
Abdi

How could you change the other equations so that Abdi has
found the correct solution to all of them?
Quickfire Questions

Does the solution match the

equation?
Solution Equation Match?

Yes
?

Yes
?

No
?

No
?

Yes
?

No
?

Yes
?

Yes
?

No
?
The Big Idea – Solving Equations

You can solve simple equations by thinking of them as ‘fill in the gap’
questions.
Solve the equation

Solve the equation

Quickfire Questions

Solve the
equations

Solution? Solution?

Solution? Solution?

Solution? Solution?

Solution? Solution?
Exam Question
[WJEC GCSE Autumn 2017 1F Q11]

Match each equation with its

solution.
The first one has been done for
you.

Can you create your own equations for

the solutions that haven’t been
matched?
The Big Idea: Equations with Multiple Variables
Equations with multiple variables, such as , often don’t have
just one solution.

They can have infinitely many different pairs of solutions,

such as “, ”.

What other pairs of solutions can you

find?
What can you say about if is…

Odd? is even
? A decimal? is? a
decimal
Greater than ? is
?
negative
Negative? 𝒙 >𝟏𝟔
?

Equal to ? 𝒙 =𝟖
? Double ? ?

How many different pairs of solutions are ?

there where both and are positive
The Big Idea: Equations with Multiple Variables
We can represent equations using a balance
diagram
𝑥𝑦 16
𝑥+ 𝑦 =16
As decreases,
? As increases,
?
must increase
? must decrease
?

𝑥 𝑦 16 𝑥𝑦 16
Test Your Understanding drfrost.org/ 256a
s/

Find solutions to the equation for each of the cases below

or explain why it is impossible to do so.

is positive
is less than is not an integer
is negative

?
e.g. , ?
e.g. , ?
e.g. ,

and are both

and are both odd
negative

?
Impossible! ?
Impossible!

is a multiple of and are both less and are both

is a multiple of than prime numbers

?
e.g. , ?
e.g. , ?
e.g. ,
Fill in the gaps drfrost.org/ 256a
s/

Fill in the gaps to show pairs of solutions for each

equation.

18 6 6 2? 2? 10 12 1
13 1? 1? 12 12 0? 1
? ?

16
?

24
? ? ? ?

6?
? ? ? ?

18
? ? ?

? ? ?
 Show
(Available as a separate
Exercise worksheet)
all
solutio
ns

1
Solve each equation. Give your answers as fractions, where appropriate.

a 𝑎=
? 6 i ?

b 𝑏=3
? j ?

c 𝑐=12
? k ?

d ? l ?

e 𝑒=−
? 9 m ?

f ? n ?

g ? N ?
or

h h=12
?
 (Available as a separate
Exercise worksheet)

2 Match each equation to its solution.

Fill in the gaps with appropriate equations.

a b

e.g. e.g.
or

? ?
c d

e.g.
e.g.

? ?
 Show
(Available as a separate
Exercise worksheet)
all
solutio
ns

3 The numbers and satisfy the N The numbers and satisfy the
equation . equation .

Give a pair of possible values Give a pair of possible values

of and where… of and where…

a … is less than ? a … is negative ?

b … is negative ? b … is greater than ?

c … is a fraction ? c … is even ?

d … is a prime number ? d … is equal to ?

e … none of the above! ? e … and sum to ?