Top Tips for Learning Algebra
Over the last few weeks we’ve been considering algebra. Today I want to give you my algebra top tips so that you can master those algebra basics.
Understand the order of operations
This is always the first thing that needs to be understood. Go back and read my blog post all about this, ‘How to Stop Getting Maths Wrong’. Once you’ve mastered the order of operations, you just need to remember that in solving equations you work throughout that order backwards using the opposite order. This triangle is really helpful.
Use empty boxes or symbols instead of letters
Sometimes letters make us feel the fear! If this happens to you, don’t use letters! Change it to empty boxes, because that’s all they are, a missing number or a question mark, or for a bit of fun use emojis to represent a number. It’s a bit like a lot of the puzzles that are doing the rounds on social media where a picture represents a number. Get comfortable with them first.
Draw a flowchart to work backwards
Think about what is happening to ‘x’ and the order that it happens in (remember the order of operations), and turn it into a flowchart. Underneath the flowchart work backwards.
This only works when you have one variable (letter), and it only appears once, but whilst you get confident with algebra it’s a great place to start.
Build it up in steps
The best way to start with algebra is to start with looking at expressions (no equal sign) and be comfortable with it. Next, solve equations with just one operation. Then add another so that you get a two step equation. Once you are comfortable with that you can make the algebra more complex by having a variable on both sides. You can also think about algebra word problems, and look at how you can turn problems into algebra to solve.
Learn the Language
I often talk about maths being a language and needing to learn the vocabulary. Well it’s just the same with algebra. You need to know the difference between an expression and an equation, when to solve and when to simplify, what a variable is and, how to factorise and how to expand. Learn these words and then how to apply them.
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