1) 

Key Skills from previous units such as, but not limited to, evaluating expressions, simplifying expressions, handling absolute value, and using the distributive property, etc..

Evaluate:  -3a² - 7 when a = -5      answer: -82

Simplify:   3(x - 2) - 2(x - 1)             answer:  x - 4

Simplify:   6 – (x – 7)                       answer: -x + 13

2) 

Solve equations in one variable, using the above skills and more.  Step through the process while briefly describing each step.  

Solve          9(2x - 3) - (x + 7)   = 34   

1st step:    9(2x) - 9(3) - x - 7  = 34       (answer x = 4)

Note how the negative sign was "distributed" to the x AND the 7!

·        You should have sufficient examples in your notes and homework.

·        Use the supplemental lessons and QuikChek on the Unit 3 index page for help.

3) 

Use reciprocals and other multipliers (FRAC-ATTACK) to simplify expressions and solve equations.

Recognize that the following are equivalent expressions:

... AND, the following (ugly) problem:        

can be re-written in the following ways:

understanding this "progression" will lead you to a VERY LOGICAL first step of dividing both sides by 8/15, or better yet, multiplying both sides by the reciprocal, 15/8.  Remember, the goal is 'x='... we need a coefficient of 1 for x.

Did you figure out the answer to the ugly problem above?

  x = 30 
 

4) 

Convert word problems into algebraic equations.  Know how to express one unknown (or variable) IN TERMS OF another.

5) 

Solve consecutive integer word problems.

6) 

Solve literal equations.  Given a formula, such as the volume of a rectangular prism, know how to solve for any of the literals.  In other words, given that V = lwh, solve for h.