GUIDED READING LESSON 1 MATH (Pre- Algebra 8th grade)

Variables and Expressions

The Order of Operations
Integers and Absolute Value

BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATION

A. Show pictures depicting examples of variables and expressions. (Slides

1-7)

B. To introduce variables and expressions in a meaningful way, students

will each get a menu of Sams Diner. Looking at the menu, students will
label each item with the first letter of the word. For example, if a
customer wanted green eggs, the waiter would write only G. (Slide 8-9)

C. Have students look at Tickets #1-4 and consider these follow-up

questions: (Slide 10)
Ticket # 1:
1. What did the customer order?
2. How do you know that?
3. How much is his order?
4. How did you find the sum mentally?

Ticket # 2:

1. Do think this order was made by one person?

2. What was the total amount for the bill?
3. How did you determine that?

Ticket # 3:

1. What did this person order and what did it cost?

2. How did you determine that?

Ticket # 4:

1. What did this person order and what did it cost?

2. How did you determine that?
3. Is there another way to explain it?
 D. Students will be placed in groups of four and each group will get a
word problem.
1. For example:
Joe buys 2 shirts at $8.00 each. He also buys a pair of
jeans for $20.00 that gets a $3.00 discount. Write a
numerical expression and solve.

2. Using the internet, the students will find pictures to tie into
their word problem.
3. After they find the appropriate pictures, students will create step-
by-step instructions on how they made their numerical
expression.
2shirts + jeans discount = cost
(2 x $8 shirts) + ($20 jeans $3 discount) = X
dollars total cost
(2 x 8) + (20 3) =
16 + 17 = $33

E. In todays lesson, we will learn different expressions and perform

operations.

VOCABULARY

Variable (Slides 11-14)

Variable Expression (Slides 15-17)

Numerical Expression (Slides 18-22)

Order of operations (Slides 23-26)

Opposites (Slides 27-31)

Integers (Slides 32-34)

Absolute value (Slides 35-40)

PURPOSE QUESTIONS:

1. What is a variable? (main ideas, details)

2. What is a variable expression? (details, main ideas)

3. What is a numerical expression? (details, main ideas)

4. What is the difference between a numerical expression and a variable
expression? (comparison/contrast)

5. Explain the six steps of the order of operations. (details, main ideas)

6. What are integers? (details, main ideas)

7. What are opposites? (details, main ideas)

8. What is an absolute value? (details, main ideas)

9. Identify each expression as a numerical expression or a variable

expression. For a variable expression, name the variable. (details)

A. c +10

B. 90 2

C. 1410

D. 30 x+6

E. 6+0+ 7+8

10. Write a variable expression for each word phrase. (details)

A. 6 divided by x
B. The sum of 4 and c
C. b times y
D. 8 less than p

11. Simplify the expression and circle the correct answer. (details)
[2+(6 8)]1

A. 63
B. 56
C. 49
D. 33

12. Which of the following statements is true? (details )

A. 15 32< 15(32)

B. (1915) (3+1)<1915 3+1

C. 2 ( 3+62 ) +4 6=2 462 +3

 18+ 12 12
>8+
D. 4 4

13. What is the value of 10010 ( 2+3 ) + 4 ? (details, sequence)

A. 54
B. 81
C. 87
D. 544

14. Tell the order of operations in this case: 6+8 2 10 2 . (details,

sequence)
A. Add, multiply, subtract, divide
B. Multiply, divide, add, subtract
C. Add, multiply, divide, subtract
D. Divide, multiply, add, subtract

15. Simplify each expression. (details)

A. -30
B. 23

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. How are numerical expressions and variable expressions similar? How

are they different? (comparison/contrast)

2. Karen bakes cookies every day. How many total cookies would she
bake in seven days? Explain your answer. (inferences)

3. Jessica reads a few books each week. How many did she read over four
weeks? Explain your answer. (inferences)

4. Kelly and the other hikers are trying to divide up all of the things that
they need for their trip. The group wants the division of items to be
equitable so that each person carries the same amount. If there are
seven hikers, how can they figure this out? The group isn't sure how
many items will need to be carried. Is there a way to write a variable
expression to figure this out? (details, noting relationships, predicting
outcomes)
 5. John runs every day. The number of miles that he runs varies per day.
Sometimes he runs four miles and sometimes two miles. Write a
variable expression to show John's total miles for three days. (details)

6. At the garden show daffodil bulbs cost $3 and tulip bulbs cost $4.
Latoya buys 7 tulip bulbs and twice as many daffodil bulbs as tulips
bulbs. How much does she spend total? Write an expression and solve.
(details)

7. Write two expressions you could use to find the area of each shaded
figure. (details)

8. How can you use integers to describe elevations above and below sea
level? (inferences)

9. Suppose you have c CDs. Your friend has 6 more CDs than you do.
Write an expression for the number of CDs your friend has. (details)

10. A submarine was situated 800 feet below sea level. If it ascends
250 feet, what is its new position? (details)

ASSIGNMENTS/ ACTIVITIES:

1. Do problems 1-22 (odd numbers only) on page 6

Do problems 1-21 (odd numbers only) on page 11
Do problems 22-27, 35-40, on page 20

2. Complete the Variables and Expressions worksheet. (Attached below)

3. Create your own flashcards to help memorize facts about translating

words into variable expressions. Bring your flashcards to class and
share them with others.
Homework: Variables and Expressions (Worksheet)
I. Indicate with math symbols what operations are being described
, -, x, or symbols.
by the given word(s). Use

1. sum _____ 2. product _______ 3.

decreased by ______

4. quotient _______ 5. increased by _____ 6. difference

_________

7. more than ______ 8. less than _______ 9. twice

something ______

II. Write a verbal expression for the algebraic expression.

10. ab 11. x + 7
12. 2x 13. m3

14. x 6 15. 8y2

x
y
16. 17. (x + y)

18. 3x 4 19. 5(a b)

III. Write an algebraic expression to the given verbal expression.

20. Eight less than a number 21. A number increased by

seven

22. The quotient of m and n 23. A number squared

24. Nine times a number 25. A number decreased by

three

26. Seven more than the cube of a number 27. One-half the
product of x and y
28. The product of twice a and b 29. Twice the product of a
and b

30. Two less than five times a number

31. Twice a number increased by three times the number

32. The sum of 3 times a and b 33. Three times the sum of a
and b