Hi 7th grade mathematicians, in our evaluating expressions unit we will be looking into like and unlike terms. Follow through this activity to help conceptually understand what like and unlike terms are!
Look at the photos below
What is similar about these photos?
Look at the expressions below
What is similar about these terms?
The terms above are all like terms!
Look at the pictures below
What is similar about these photos? What is different about these photos?
Look at the expressions below
What is similar about these terms? What is different?
The terms above are all unlike terms!
Sometimes it can be tricky to identify like and unlike terms
Like terms: terms with the same variable or same exponent and variable. All constants are like terms.
Like terms are useful because you can group like terms together to make the expression easier to write.
When combining like terms, the operation in FRONT of the term (addition or subtraction) must stay attached to the term.
Which one doesn’t belong?
Use this review activity to practice your understanding of combining like terms.
Check your answers below by scrolling through the slideshow.
Remember, like terms are terms with the same variable or same exponent and variable. All constants are like terms.
Image Citations:
Photo by Oscar Sutton on Unsplash
Photo by Alvan Nee on Unsplash
Photo by Richard Brutyo on Unsplash
Photo by Mike Setchell on Unsplash
Photo by Chris Charles on Unsplash
Photo by Manja Vitolic on Unsplash
A very clever approach to teaching this principle. It gives students the chance to apply like / unlike continuum to a very approachable task – looking at animals.
Then it takes it up a level and students apply the same principle to math. It finishes with a “self-graded” check for understanding. All together an effective way to share the material and give students a supported entry point.
I love how you used animals to explain like terms! Your title is creative and definitely sparked my curiosity in your lesson!