Lesson 4

The purpose of this warm-up is to for students to use the structure of equations to recognize when they are the same without having to solve for the specific \(x\) value that makes the equations true.

Monitor for students who:

• solve each equation for \(x\), then compare the solutions
• solve Equation 1 for \(x\), then substitute it into Equations A–D
• manipulate Equations A–D to look like Equation 1 and vice versa

Give students 2–3 minutes quiet think time, then whole-class discussion.

Select students previously identified to share how they determined whether each equation had the same solution as Equation 1 in the sequence listed in the Activity Narrative. Point out that the question did not ask students what the solution was, only whether each equation had the same solution.

To help students make connections between the different methods their classmates used to solve the warm-up, ask:

• “Which method of answering the question was most efficient? After seeing all these ways to answer the question, which would you choose?”
• “What is an advantage of changing the equation to look like Equation 1? What is a disadvantage?” (An advantage is that I could see quickly whether it would be the same as Equation 1, and I didn't have to keep going to actually figure out the value of \(x\). A disadvantage would be that I never discovered what the value for \(x\) is that makes the equations true.)
• “How is this method (manipulating the equation to look like Equation 1) similar to what we did in previous lessons with the balance hangers?” (In order to keep the hangers balanced, I had to make sure to do the same thing to each side of the hanger. In order to have each equation still be true, I have to make sure to do the same thing to each side of an equation.)

By showing that two equations are related by a move (or series of moves), we know they must have the same solution.

If time allows, have students create another equation with the same solution as Equation 1 and trade with a partner. They should then explain the step(s) necessary to make it look like Equation 1 to each other.

Before students work on solving complex equations on their own, in this activity they examine the work (both good and bad) of others. The purpose of this activity is to build student fluency solving equations by examining the solutions of others for both appropriate and inappropriate strategies (MP3).

Encourage students to use precise language when discussing the different steps made by the four students in the problem (MP6). For example, if a student says Clare distributed to move from \(12x + 3 = 3(5x + 9)\) to \(3(4x+1) = 3(5x + 9)\), ask them to be more specific about how Clare used the distributive property to help the whole class follow along. (Clare used the distributive property to re-write \(12x + 3\) as \(3(4x+1)\).)

Arrange students in groups of 2. Give 4–5 minutes of quiet work time and ask students to pause after the first two problems for a partner discussion. Give 2–3 minutes for partners to work together on the final problem followed by a whole-class discussion. Refer to MLR 3 (Clarify, Critique, Correct) to guide students in using language to describe the wrong steps.

Begin the discussion by asking, “How do you know when a solution to an equation is correct?” (One way to know it is correct is by substituting the value of \(x\) into the original equation and seeing if it makes the equation true.)

Display Clare and Lin’s solutions for all to see. Poll the class to see which solution they prefer. It is important to draw out that neither solution is better than the other, they are two ways of accomplishing the same task: solving for \(x\). Invite groups to share ways the steps Clare and Lin took are alike and different while annotating the two solutions with students’ observations. If none of the groups say it, point out that while the final steps may look different for Clare and Lin, their later steps worked to reduce the total number of terms until only an \(x\)-term and a number remained on either side of the equal sign.

Display Mai and Noah’s incorrect solutions for all to see. Invite groups to share an incorrect step they found and what advice they would give to Mai and Noah for checking their work in the future.

The purpose of this lesson is to increase fluency in solving equations. Students will solve equations individually and then compare differing, though accurate, solution paths in order to compare their work with others. This will help students recognize that while the final solution will be the same, there is more than one path to the correct answer that uses principles of balancing equations learned in previous lessons.

Arrange students in groups of 3–4. Give students quiet think time to complete the activity and then tell groups to share how they solved the equations for \(x\) and discuss the similarities and differences in their solution paths.

Students should take away from this activity the importance of using valid steps to solve an equation over following a specific solution path. Invite students to share what they discussed in their groups. Consider using some of the following prompts:

• “How many different ways did your group members solve each problem?”
• “When you compared solution paths, did you still come up with the same solution?” (Yes, even though we took different paths, we ended up with the same solutions.)
• “How can you make sure that the path you choose to solve an equation is a valid path?” (I can use the steps we discovered earlier when we were balancing: adding the same value to each side, multiplying (or dividing) by the same value to each side, distributing and collecting like terms whenever it is needed.)
• “What are some examples of steps that will not result in a valid solution?” (Performing an action to only one side of an equation and distributing incorrectly will give an incorrect solution.)