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Grade 6 Math — Solving equations

Solve a linear equation in one variable by keeping both sides balanced.

Name: ________________________

Before you start

Two mystery boxes and some weights, and the beam is level. See how much you can take away without it moving.

517

Take the 5 off both sides and the two boxes stand against what is left; one box is half of that. The scale has just walked you through the whole solution without a line of working.

  1. 1.I think of a number, double it and add 5. The answer is 17. What was my number?

  2. 2.3x = 21. What is x?

  3. 3.4(x + 2) = 20. What is x?

  4. 4.5x - 7 = 18. What is x?

  5. 5.2x + 3 = 11. What is x?

  6. 6.What is the right first move to solve 7x = 56?

    • a) Divide both sides by 7
    • b) Add 7 to both sides
    • c) Multiply both sides by 7
    • d) Subtract 7 from both sides

  7. 7.x + 5 = 12. What is x?

  8. 8.3x - 4 = 2x + 6. What is x?

Answer key — Grade 6 Math — Solving equations

  1. 1. 6
  2. 2. 7
  3. 3. 3
  4. 4. 5
  5. 5. 4
  6. 6. a) Divide both sides by 7
  7. 7. 7
  8. 8. 10