Math Bell Ringer for Grades 9–12: Solving a linear equation
A free math bell ringer for grades 9–12. Put the prompt on the board as students walk in, give them three to five minutes, then go over it together. The answer and teacher notes are in the box below the prompt.
The prompt
Solve for x, then check your answer: 3(x − 4) = 2x + 5
Answer and teacher notes
3x − 12 = 2x + 5 → x − 12 = 5 → x = 17
Check: 3(17 − 4) = 3(13) = 39, and 2(17) + 5 = 39. Both sides match. The most common error is distributing the 3 to x only and writing 3x − 4.
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