Instructions
Algebra is not just for the classroom—it can be used in many everyday activities! Read each scenario carefully and solve the problems using algebraic thinking. Write your answers in the spaces provided.
Part 1: Word Problems
1. You are planning a party and want to ensure everyone gets an equal amount of cake. If you have 24 pieces of cake and 8 friends coming over, how many pieces of cake can each person get? Use algebra to solve this.
2. A bakery sells 480 muffins every morning. They start baking at 4 AM and finish at 8 AM. How many muffins do they bake per hour? Show your algebraic steps.
Part 2: Setting Up Equations
3. You save $15 per week from your allowance and want to buy a video game that costs $150. How many weeks will you need to save? Write an equation and solve it.
4. A car travels 250 miles on a full tank of gas. If it uses gas at a rate of x miles per gallon, write an equation to represent the total gas used. Then solve for x if the car uses 12 gallons of gas.
Part 3: Short Responses
5. Think of another way you use algebra in your everyday life (e.g., calculating time to finish homework, dividing supplies among friends, etc.). Describe it here.
6. If you were planning a road trip with your family, how could you use algebra to estimate the time it would take to reach your destination? Explain.
7. You have two part-time jobs. One pays $10/hour and the other $12/hour. If you work a total of 15 hours a week, write an equation to find out your total weekly earnings.
Part 4: Fill in the Blanks
8. Algebra can help you manage your __________ (e.g., money, time, resources). Give three examples of how you can apply algebraic thinking in your daily life.
9. You want to improve your algebra skills. List three ways you can practice algebra every day.
10. Think about a time when you used algebra without realizing it. What were you doing, and how did algebra help? Write a short story.