Step 6 Objective
Simplify or transform linear expressions by collecting like terms; multiply a single term over a bracket.
- Examples of what pupils should
know and be able to do - Probing questions
- What if pupils find
this a barrier?
What if pupils find this a barrier?
Use classifying, matching or pyramid activities from Teaching mental mathematics from Level 5 to generate mathematical talk and expose misconceptions.
Ask pupils to write expressions in as many ways as they can, e.g.
3m can be expressed as:
m + m + m
2m + m
3 × m
etc.
Devise sets of equivalent expressions, write them on cards and ask pupils to sort them into the equivalent sets.
Use a clouding the picture approach to help pupils expand as well
as simplify expressions.