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Algebra Play

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Here is a line from an old page: 5a² + 10a. No question. No answer. What can you do with it?

One line, three moves.

Your book's chapter is Algebra Play, Part II, Chapter 6. It uses letters to explain number tricks, number pyramids and calendar squares. A number pyramid stacks numbers in rows. This track builds the moves those explanations need.

What you will learn

  • Parts — a term is one piece of a sum. Split it into number and letters.
  • Joining — same letters join. Only the number changes.
  • Term times term — multiply the numbers, write the letters side by side.
  • Into a bracket — one term reaches every term inside.
  • Two brackets — every term meets every term.
  • A square in four pieces — a sum times itself, as a picture.
  • The easy way round — a shortcut for 98 × 98.
  • Taking a factor out — undo the opening of a bracket.
  • Putting a number in — shows when a rewritten line is wrong.
  • A trick, as a line — "Think of a number", explained.

Every idea has one small lab. Tap or slide, and see the line stay true.

Jump to lesson

This track

  1. 0 Start here
  2. 1 What a term is built from
  3. 2 Joining terms of one kind
  4. 3 One term times another
  5. 4 Multiplying a bracket by one term
  6. 5 Every term of one meets every term of the other
  7. 6 Checkpoint: parts, joining and multiplying
  8. 7 A square cut into four pieces
  9. 8 The easy way round an awkward product
  10. 9 Taking out what every term shares
  11. 10 Putting a number in to find out
  12. 11 From a situation to a line
  13. 12 Checkpoint: patterns, factors and checking
  14. 13 The big picture
  15. 14 Track quiz

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