LET’S TRY ONE
Solve 4x + 3 = 23.
5
Subtract 3 to get 4x = 20; divide by 4 to get x = 5.
Learning steps & teaching tips
Undo addition and multiplication to isolate a variable.
- Apply the same inverse operation to both sides.
- Work through the example. Explain how its evidence supports the answer.
- Try a new question; use the explanation to check your thinking.
Try it together
Write or draw your own example with different numbers. Solve it, then ask a partner to check the method as well as the answer.
Apply the same inverse operation to both sides.