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7th grade · Math · Unit 4 of 17

Two-Step Equations

Undo, undo, solve for x

What your child practices

Solving equations like 3x + 5 = 26 by undoing each step on both sides, writing equations from word problems and checking solutions.

Alaska content standards learning standard: 7.EE.4 · writing and solving two-step equations from problems in context

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Keep the equation balanced: do the same to both sides.
  2. Undo the adding or subtracting first.
  3. Then undo the multiplying or dividing.

Example: 2x + 3 = 11 Subtract 3 from both sides: 2x = 8. Divide both sides by 2: x = 4. Answer: x = 4

Two-Step Equations in Alaska

In the Alaska content standards, this is unit 4 of 17 in 7th grade Math, after Fractions, Decimals & Percents and before Circles.

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: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

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

    Which equation matches this sentence? "Seven times a number, plus 5, equals 54."

    • 7n − 5 = 54
    • 5n + 7 = 54
    • 7(n + 5) = 54
    • 7n + 5 = 54

  2. Question 2

    Solve: 4n − 2 = 26

    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 28

  3. Question 3

    Is x = 7 a solution of 2x − 12 = 2?

    2x − 12 = 2

    • No
    • Yes

  4. Question 4

    On a balance scale, 5 identical bags of marbles plus 13 loose marbles balance 33 loose marbles. How many marbles are in each bag?

    ⚖️5x + 13 = 33

    answer box

  5. Question 5

    Maya has $26 saved and adds $7 each week. After how many weeks will Maya have $54?

    answer box

  6. Question 6

    To solve 4x − 23 = 1, how do you undo the − 23?

    • Multiply both sides by 23
    • Subtract 23 from both sides
    • Add 23 to the left side only
    • Add 23 to both sides

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