Algebra I: Using Tables to Solve Linear Equations

Objectives

• Solve "one-step" linear equations of the form x + a = b and ax = b where a and b are real numbers
• Solve "two-step" linear equations of the form ax + b = c where a and b are real numbers

About the Lesson

Students are given quotes verbally and asked to write each quote as a formula in the variable n. They enter the formulas into a calculator application and use a spreadsheet application to display a table of values. Students use these tables to determine the value of a quote corresponding to a given number of guests and, conversely, the number of guests that correspond to a particular quote. In this process, students solve linear equations of the form ax + b = c informally.

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