Year 6 · Algebra · Summary
Year 6 Algebra: summary and key words
Part of the Year 6 algebra chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Chapter summary
| Skill | Method |
|---|---|
| Letters and formulae | A letter stands for a number. To use a formula, substitute the numbers, then multiply before you add or take away. |
| Equations | Write the words as an equation. Undo each step in reverse order, using the opposite operation, then check. |
| Term-to-term rule | Find the difference between neighbouring terms. If it is always the same, the sequence is linear and the rule is add (or subtract) that amount. |
| nth term | Put the difference in front of n, then add or take away the number that makes the first term right: 3n + 2. |
| Testing a number | Solve a n + b = the number. If n is a whole number that is 1 or more, the number is a term. |
| Pairs with two unknowns | Choose values for one letter in order, work out the other, and make a table. Count the rows. |
| Combinations | List every whole-number choice of one item in order, work out the other item, and count the rows that work. |
Can you…?
- I can substitute numbers into a formula and work out the answer.
- I can write a missing-number problem as an equation and solve it by working backwards.
- I can describe the term-to-term rule of a linear sequence and continue it.
- I can write the nth term of a linear sequence and use it to find any term.
- I can test whether a number is a term of a linear sequence.
- I can find all the pairs of numbers that satisfy an equation with two unknowns.
- I can list and count the combinations of two items that make a total.
Key terms
- Letter
- A symbol, such as n, that stands for a number.
- Formula
- A rule that links letters, such as P = 2a + 2b.
- Substitute
- To put a number in place of a letter.
- Equation
- A statement with an equals sign, with equal amounts on each side, such as 3n + 2 = 14.
- Term
- One number in a sequence.
- Linear sequence
- A sequence in which the same amount is added (or taken away) each time.
- nth term
- A rule that gives any term of a sequence, using the position n.
- Pair
- Two numbers that together satisfy an equation.
- Combination
- One way of choosing an amount of each item to make a total.