4th grade · Math · Unit 7 of 15
Equations
Find the mystery number
What your child practices
Solving one-step equations with a box or letter for the unknown, using all four operations, and matching equations to word problems.
Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 4.OA.A.3 · solving multistep problems with a letter for the unknown
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- An equation says two things are equal.
- Use the opposite operation to find the missing number.
- Check by putting your answer back in.
Example: ☐ + 7 = 15. What is ☐? Opposite of adding 7 is subtracting 7. 15 − 7 = 8. Answer: 8
Equations in Arizona
In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 7 of 15 in 4th grade Math, after Patterns & Tables and before Polygons & Perimeter.
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: Arizona Department of Education
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
What number goes in the box?
− 316 = 486
answer box
802
Hint: Work backwards: you took away 316 and had 486 left. Add 316 back on to 486.
Question 2
What number goes in the box?
÷ 5 = 3
- 10
- 20
- 8
- 15
15
Hint: Work backwards with multiplication: if a number shared into 5 groups gives 3, the number is 3 × 5 = 15.
Question 3
What number goes in the box?
3 × = 27
answer box
9
Hint: What times 3 makes 27? Divide to find it: 27 ÷ 3.
Question 4
Some grapes were shared equally by 3 friends. Each friend got 10 grapes. How many grapes were there?
🍇answer box
30
Hint: Write it as an equation: ☐ ÷ 3 = 10. Multiply to work backwards.
Question 5
What number goes in the box?
21 ÷ = 7
- 3
- 7
- 2
- 4
3
Hint: 21 split into groups gives 7. Think: 7 × what number = 21? 7 × 3 = 21.
Question 6
What number makes both sides equal?
4 × 10 = + 17
answer box
23
Hint: The = sign means both sides are worth the same. The left side is 4 × 10 = 40. What plus 17 makes 40?