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1st grade · Math · Unit 5 of 16

Equal or Not

Same or not the same?

What your child practices

Learning that = means "the same amount as" (not just "the answer is"), and using ≠ when two sides are different.

Alabama Course of Study content standard: 1.7 · using the meaning of the equal sign to decide whether an equation is true or false

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. The = sign means both sides are the same amount.
  2. Work out one side first.
  3. Then find what the other side needs.

Example: 3 + 4 = 5 + ? 3 + 4 is 7. 5 + 2 is 7, so ? is 2. Answer: 2

Equal or Not in Alabama

In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 5 of 16 in 1st grade Math, after Take Away and before Patterns.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Is 7 + 7 the same as 12 + 2?

    • Yes, equal (=)
    • No, not equal (≠)

  2. Question 2

    Which one is equal to 18?

    18

    • 16 + 1
    • 5 + 14
    • 9 + 9

  3. Question 3

    Which sign goes in the box?

    9 + 3 12

    • =
    • ≠

  4. Question 4

    Which sign goes in the box?

    6 + 6 1 + 10

    • =
    • ≠

  5. Question 5

    Is 6 + 6 the same as 7 + 5?

    • Yes, equal (=)
    • No, not equal (≠)

  6. Question 6

    Are there the same number of 🚗 and 🚲?

    Let's compare

    cars
    🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗
    bikes
    🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲

    Each picture = 1

    • Yes, equal (=)
    • No, not equal (≠)

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