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Lesson 4 of 17
  • Year 7

Algebraic notation

I can use the particular conventions of algebraic notation and understand that following these aids clear communication.

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View unit
Lesson 4 of 17
New
New
  • Year 7

Algebraic notation

I can use the particular conventions of algebraic notation and understand that following these aids clear communication.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Expressions involving repeated addition can be written more simply.
  2. Expressions involving multiplication can be written more simply using algebra conventions.
  3. Expressions involving algebraic terms can be written in index form.
  4. Some conventions make it more simple to read expressions.

Keywords

  • Term - A term is single number or letter, or the product of numbers and/or variables. Each term is separated by the operators + and –

  • Expression - Expressions contain one or more terms, where each term is separated by an operator.

  • Conventions - Mathematical conventions are notations or processes generally agreed upon.

Common misconception

Pupils may write a3 instead of 3a to represent multiplication of a and 3.

Use algebra tiles to show a x 3 gives 3 lots of a. Highlight that conventions make mathematics clearer to read and avoids miscommunication.


To help you plan your year 7 maths lesson on: Algebraic notation, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Print plenty of sets of algebra tiles. Laminate and store for easy access as they can be used throughout algebra topics as concrete representations of increasingly complex algebraic manipulation.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is the same as $$9+9+9+9$$ ?

$$4^9$$
$$9^4$$
Correct answer: $$4\times9$$
$$4+9$$

Q2.
Select any calculations which are the same as $$3\times4\times5$$

Correct answer: $$(3\times5)\times4$$
$$7\times 5$$
$$(3\times4)+(3\times5)$$
Correct answer: $$(5\times4)\times3$$
$$3+20$$

Q3.
Which of these is the same as writing $$7\times7\times7$$?

$$7+7+7$$
$$3\times7$$
Correct answer: $$7^3$$
$$3^7$$

Q4.
In algebra, letters are used to represent unknowns or

Correct Answer: variables, variable

Q5.
Select the statement that can be represented by the equation $$a+6-2+a=18$$

I think of a number, add 6 then subtract 2 and the answer is 18
I think of a number, add 2 and subtract 6 to get 18
Correct answer: I think of a number, subtract 2 and add 6 then add my original number to get 18
I think of a number, square it, add 6 then subtract 2 to get 18
I add 6 to my number, add 2 to my number and the difference is 18

Q6.
Match the directed number calculations with the correct answers.

Correct Answer:$$12+-5$$,7

7

Correct Answer:$$-12+-5$$,-17

-17

Correct Answer:$$-12+5$$,-7

-7

Correct Answer:$$12--5$$,17

17

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In the equation $$3t-8=10+t$$, $$10+t$$ is called __________.

an equation
Correct answer: an expression
a term
a variable

Q2.
In the equation $$3t-8=10+t$$, $$3t$$ is called a

Correct Answer: term

Q3.
True or false: the terms $$cd$$ and $$dc$$ are the same.

Correct answer: True- variables can be multiplied in any order
False- $$dc$$ is not a term as variables have to be written alphabetically

Q4.
Select any of the options which are the same as $$1\times a$$

Correct answer: $$1a$$
$$1+a$$
Correct answer: $$a$$
$$0a$$

Q5.
Match up the calculation with the simplified expression.

Correct Answer:$$r+r+r$$,$$3r$$

$$3r$$

Correct Answer:$$r+r+r-r$$,$$2r$$

$$2r$$

Correct Answer:$$r\times4$$,$$4r$$

$$4r$$

Correct Answer:$$r\times r\times r $$,$$r^3$$

$$r^3$$

Correct Answer:$$r\times r\times r\times r$$,$$r^4$$

$$r^4$$

Correct Answer:$$r+r-r+r+r-r-r$$,$$r$$

$$r$$

Q6.
Match the expression with the description.

Correct Answer:$$9a-3$$,a number multiplied by 9 then 3 is subtracted

a number multiplied by 9 then 3 is subtracted

Correct Answer:$$9(a-3)$$,a number minus 3 then multiplied by 9

a number minus 3 then multiplied by 9

Correct Answer:$$9\over a-3$$,9 divided by 3 less than a number

9 divided by 3 less than a number

Correct Answer:$${9\over a} -3 $$,9 divided by a number then 3 is subtracted

9 divided by a number then 3 is subtracted

Correct Answer:$$9a^3$$,a number cubed then multiplied by 9

a number cubed then multiplied by 9

Correct Answer:$$(9a)^3$$,a number multiplied by 9 then cubed

a number multiplied by 9 then cubed