Different types of equations

I can recognise that there are many different types of equations of which linear is one type.

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Year 8

Different types of equations

I can recognise that there are many different types of equations of which linear is one type.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

An equation is a statement that two expressions are equal, indicated by =.
Linear expressions can be represented by a straight line on a graph.
Non-linear expressions can be identified from their graphical form.
Equations can be grouped as linear or non-linear.

Common misconception

Pupils may think all equations are for straight lines so can be plotted from 2 points.

Explore different relationships, most relationships are not linear but we focus a lot on linear relationships and their unique structure.

Keywords

Gradient - The gradient is a measure of how steep a line is
Expression - Expressions contain one or more terms, where each term is separated by an operator.
Equation - An equation is used to show that one number or calculation is equal to another.
Linear - The relationship between two variables is linear if, when plotted on a pair of axes, a straight line is formed.

The use of graphing software will help pupils plot more complicated equations. This will then be useful when finding solutions to equations from graphs.

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).