9th grade · Math · Unit 3 of 17
Multi-Step Equations
Brackets, fractions and both sides
What your child practices
Solving linear equations with brackets, fractions and variables on both sides, checking solutions, and turning word problems into equations.
Alaska content standards learning standard: A-REI.1; A-REI.3 · solving multi-step linear equations and justifying each step
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- Expand brackets first.
- Collect like terms.
- Then undo adding or subtracting, and finally multiplying or dividing.
Example: 2(x + 3) = 14 Expand: 2x + 6 = 14. Subtract 6: 2x = 8. Divide by 2: x = 4. Answer: x = 4
Multi-Step Equations in Alaska
In the Alaska content standards, this is unit 3 of 17 in 9th grade Math, after Polynomials and before Linear Relations.
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.
Question 1
Solve for x: 7(x + 6) = 98
answer box
8
Hint: Divide both sides by 7: x + 6 = 14. Subtract 6: x = 8.
Question 2
Solve for x: 2x − 8 = 1x − 10
answer box
-2
Hint: Collect the x terms: 2x − 1x = -10 − (−8), so 1x = -2. Divide by 1: x = −2.
Question 3
Solve for x: 7(x + 6) = 5(x − 1) + 69
answer box
11
Hint: Expand: 7x + 42 = 5x − 5 + 69. Collect: 2x = 22. Divide by 2: x = 11.
Question 4
Solve for x: x/2 + 3 = 12
answer box
18
Hint: Subtract 3: x/2 = 9. Multiply both sides by 2: x = 18.
Question 5
Solve for x: x/4 + x/5 = 9
answer box
20
Hint: Use a common denominator of 20: 5x/20 + 4x/20 = 9, so 9x = 180. Then x = 20.
Question 6
Leo's gym charges $32 to join plus $10 per visit. Another gym charges $72 to join plus $5 per visit. After how many visits do the two gyms cost the same?
answer box
8
Hint: Set the costs equal: 32 + 10n = 72 + 5n. Then 5n = 40, so n = 8.