Securing understanding of equality
I can appreciate how to maintain equality between two statements.
Securing understanding of equality
I can appreciate how to maintain equality between two statements.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Bar models can be used to compare expressions.
- If the expressions are equal the bars will be the same length.
- Operations can be performed on the bars that maintain equality.
- This can be extended to operations on statements expressed algebraically.
Keywords
Equation - An equation is used to show two expressions that are equal to each other.
Variable - A variable is a quantity that can take on a range of values, often denoted by a letter.
Constant - A constant is a term that does not change; it contains no variables.
Like terms - Like terms are terms that have the same set of variables and corresponding exponents.
Common misconception
Trying to double an expression and only doubling one term.
Use the numerical examples to show why this does not work. Use of brackets in working out is also helpful.
To help you plan your year 8 maths lesson on: Securing understanding of equality, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 maths lesson on: Securing understanding of equality, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 maths lessons from the Solving linear equations unit, dive into the full secondary maths curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions


$$2(3x - 4)$$ -
$$6x - 8$$
$$2(4 - 3x)$$ -
$$-6x + 8$$
$$2(3x - 2)$$ -
$$6x - 4$$
$$2(2 - 3x)$$ -
$$-6x + 4$$
$$-2(-3x - 4)$$ -
$$6x + 8$$
$$-2(4 + 3x)$$ -
$$-6x - 8$$
Exit quiz
6 Questions

A -
$$2(x + 9)= 2(22)$$
B -
$$x + 9 + x + 9 = 22 + x + 9$$
C -
$$x + 9 + 2x + 18= 22 + 2x + 18$$
D -
$$3(x + 9) = 3(22) $$
E -
$$x + 9 + 22 = 22 + 22$$

