Verifying Number Puzzles Algebra One

Okay, so my students know how to use the distributive property and combining like terms to simplify algebraic expressions. They had excellent coverage of this in 8th grade math last year, so they are ready to go with equation solving with just one day of review (including properties of multiplication & addition).

But students need to be able to justify steps in equation solving.

So this year, I decided to add another lesson in to get that "verification skill" going.

Number puzzles. Those kinds that start with "think of a number" and you do a bunch of things and the person directing the puzzle then can predict what you end up with. How do those really work? How do we figure it out? Using Algebra of course.

So I do a few with the students - where they choose a number. And I tell them we are going to verify.

We build an expression using x. 

Then we simplify that expression, verifying each step of the simplifying process with properties or processes.

This one is a little harder. You have to use two different variables.

We also fill in ISN pages 

inside there are two other problems that we verify....(see my original documents below for the problems, the left side of this scan was cut out)

Then students make up a problem.....here are my instructions (sort of following the format of the second problem inside the foldable).

Then we finish off with a silly puzzle - Chocolate Math - on this powerpoint. I didn't try verifying it with students, It would be challenging. Something to offer a challenge on to students though.

And I give them a little exit slip - it's not a puzzle problem. Just a simplify problem that they have to examine to see what a student did wrong. And explain using all the correct vocabulary etc.

All documents found here.