Solving Equations Practice

Edited from Desmos Activity: Smallest Equation. Has students practice solving equations. Challenge #1 is to not get a fraction answer. Challenge #2 is to get Smallest Answer just like the original activity, outlined here: In this activity, students will practice solving equations with multiple steps and with variables on both sides of the equality. They will CREATE an equation so that it has the smallest possible solution for x. Students will reason abstractly and structurally, arguing that their expressions are the greatest or least possible. We have used "smallest" in the title of this activity even though it is not a well-defined mathematical term. By "smallest solution" we mean "the solution—not necessarily unique—with least absolute value, whether positive or negative." We believe that "smallest solution" is a more intuitive, early title, which you can then specify and formalize later in the activity.

By Chris Lee