This collecting like terms worksheet and PowerPoint helps students simplify algebraic expressions using the addition and subtraction of like terms.
The PowerPoint presentation includes a starter activity, hook and plenary. There’s also an explanation of what is and what is not a like term and questions and activities for students.
Accompanying the PowerPoint is a collecting like terms worksheet with 29 questions.
Teacher notes
For this lesson you will need 11 counters in four different colours for each pupil/pair/group (depending on how you conduct the lesson). Mini whiteboards may be advantageous as well. Pupils may require a calculator if you remove the constraint of picking a number from one to ten.
Each slide on the PowerPoint is accompanied by either a blue or yellow circle in the top right-hand corner. Blue circles indicate the slide is for the teacher to illustrate concepts. Yellow circles denote slides for pupil activities.
Pupils will need to have prior knowledge of this terminology:
- expressions
- terms
- variables
They will need to recognise the result of adding and subtracting positive integers, including when the result is a negative integer.
Pupils will also need to know how to add decimals with the same number of decimals places and also fractions with a common denominator.
The collecting like terms worksheet requires addition and subtraction of:
- negative integers
- decimals with different numbers of decimal places
- fractions with different denominators
You can remove these from the worksheet if pupils do not have the pre-requisites, or run the lesson without the worksheet if you prefer.
Peter Mattock is a head of maths and secondary mastery lead for the East Midlands South Maths Hub. Follow him on Twitter at @MrMattock.
