Equivalent

Expressions
Matching Activity
© 2016, Wilcox’s Way, Jenny Wilcox
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About the Author

I graduated summa cum laude from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas with my bachelor’s degree
in Elementary Education in 1996. In 2000, I received my Master’s of Education from Washburn
University.

I began teaching middle school math in 1997, and I’ve been loving that job ever since! At my school, I
have served 16 years on our school improvement team, 7 years as the head of our math department, and
8 years on our district level Math District Curriculum Committee.

I have served on the Executive Board of the Kansas Association of Teachers of Mathematics in the role
of Bulletin Editor for the past 4 years. I have been actively involved in the planning of our KATM
Annual Conference, and I’ve been a presenter at the KATM conference many times. Session topics have
included Road Trip Project in Math Class, Differentiation Ideas and Strategies, Hunger Games
Interdisciplinary Unit: A How-To Guide, as well as numerous presentations on math games, math
projects and the standards for mathematical practice. I have been actively involved on the state level as
part of our state Standards Review Committee and the committee to set assessment cut scores.

I have been honored to receive several awards. In 2014, I was a semi-finalist for
Kansas Teacher of the Year. In 2015, I was named Outstanding Teacher by the
Kansas Society of Professional Engineers. I was chosen as a Kansas Master
Teacher in 2016. In 2016 I received a scholarship to attend Honeywell
Educators at Space Academy.

I am passionate about creating curriculum and activities to help students not

just memorize math rules, but help them to understand the underlying patterns
and connections in the field of math. I hope these resources can help other
teachers create a dynamic learning environment in their classrooms.

© 2017, Wilcox’s Way, Jenny Wilcox

© 2016, Wilcox’s Way, Jenny Wilcox

Teacher’s Guide

Copy pages 4 and 5 on cardstock for increased durability. Cut these pages apart. This
activity works well with groups of 2-3 students working together. Students match each
situation from page 4 with two of the expressions on page 5. One of the expressions requires
either combining like terms or distributive property; the expressions with the gray box on
page 5 are the simplified version of the expression. There is also a recording sheet on page 6
for students to record their matches, as well as having students complete two additional sets
of cards.

Another way to use these cards would be for an interactive notebook. Students could cut out
the cards and paste them into their interactive notebook in pairs.

Page 7 offers an additional practice worksheet and page 8 offers an exit ticket (copied 2 per
page). Page 9 has an activity to have students evaluate some of the expressions by rolling a
number cube to determine the value of the variable.

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© 2016 Jenny Wilcox (Wilcox’s Way)

Clip art and font credit to: HelloFonts by Hello Literacy and Lovin Lit and Getting Nerdy with Mel and Gerdy

© 2017, Wilcox’s Way, Jenny Wilcox

 Andy was buying
$5 hats and $3
Amy and Mary Kelly was buying
gloves for every
were both buying lunches for her
person on his
matching necklaces friends.
Christmas list. He
for $2 each and a Sandwiches are $3
also bought one roll
jewelry box for $3 each, and chips are
of wrapping paper
each. Let x represent $2. Let x represent
for $2. Let x
the number of the number of
represent the
matching necklaces lunches she is
number of people
bought. buying.
on his Christmas
list.

Alex is collecting
Karley was taking a Four friends form a
read-a-thon
test where every Relay for Life team.
donations to benefit
question Each friend plans to
the library. He
was worth 5 points. ask for $3 donations
has $5 already. He
She missed two from sponsors. The
has 2 sponsors that
points on every cost of the $5 t-shirt
pledged a $4
question. Let x is taken out of the
donation plus $2 for
represent the donations. Let x
each book he reads.
number of questions represent the
Let x represent the
on the test. number of sponsors
number of books Alex
they each get.
reads.

Harry is selling mugs

and bowls as a set. Danny is running a
T-shirts cost $7 The mugs are $3 summer camp. For
each. There are each; bowls are $4 each camper, it will
coupons to save $3 each. He spent $5 cost $2 for
on each t-shirt. for an ad in the art kits, $3 for camp
Let x represent the school newspaper. kits and $5 for food.
number of t-shirts Let x represent the Let x represent the
bought. number of people total number
who buy a mug of campers.
and bowl set.
 5x - 2x 3x + 2x 4x

7x – 3x 5 + 2(2x + 4) 3x

2x + 3x + 5x 3x – 5 + 4x 7x – 5

4(3x – 5) 12x -20 10x

2(2x + 3) 4x + 6 4x + 13

3x + 2 + 5x 8x + 2 5x
 Name__________________________________ Hour_______
Equivalent Expression Matching Answer Sheet
Match the cards you were given, then show your matches below. Each situation should
match with 2 expressions, 1 of which is simplified. The simplified expressions are shaded
gray. For the situation, just write the underlined words.

Expression Simplified Expression Situation

The card sets below are incomplete. Fill in the information for the “missing” cards.

5 teachers each ask

students to buy 3 pencils
5(3x + 4y) and 4 pens. Let x be the
cost of a pencil and y be
the cost of a pen.

20x – 5x 15x

© Wilcox’s Way, Jenny Wilcox 2016

Name___________________________________________________________ Hour________

Expression Matching Practice

Match each expression in the Column A to the simplified version in Column B.

Column A Column B

1. 4(5x + 6) A. 30x + 14

2. 4x + 5x + 6 B. 20x + 6

3. 4x + 5x + 6x C. 15x

4. 6(5x + 4) D. 20x + 24

5. 5(6x - 4) E. 5x + 10

6. 4 + 5(6x + 2) F. 18x + 12

7. 4 + 5x + 6 G. 9x + 6

8. 4(5x + 6) + 3 H. 30x + 24

9. 2(4x + 5x + 6) I. 30x - 20

10. 4(5x) + 6 J. 20x + 27

Choose one of the sets of expressions from above, and write a situation that could match the set of
expressions.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________
Name___________________________________________________________ Hour________

Expression Matching Activity Exit Ticket

1. Are the expressions 5(4x + 3) and 20x + 3 equivalent? Why or why not?

2. Are the expressions 5x + 4 + 3x and 8x + 4 equivalent? Why or why not?

3. What is the most important thing to know when deciding if two

expressions are equivalent?

4. What questions do you still have about this?

© Wilcox’s Way, Jenny Wilcox 2016

Name___________________________________________________________ Hour________

Expression Matching Activity Exit Ticket

1. Are the expressions 5(4x + 3) and 20x + 3 equivalent? Why or why not?

2. Are the expressions 5x + 4 + 3x and 8x + 4 equivalent? Why or why not?

3. What is the most important thing to know when deciding if two

expressions are equivalent?

4. What questions do you still have about this?

Name________________________________ Hour___
Rolling to Evaluate Expressions
For each expression below, roll a number cube. Use the number you roll as
the value for the variable in the expression. Explain the meaning of the
number, and the value of the expression. The first one has been done for
you.
Situation Number Meaning of Value of
rolled number rolled expression at the
given number
Andy was buying $5 hats and $3 6 6 would 6(5 + 3) + 2=
gloves for every person on his
Christmas list. He also bought
represent the 6(8) + 2 =
one roll of wrapping paper for $2. number of 48 + 2 = 50
Let x represent the number of people on the $50
people on his Christmas list. Christmas list.

Amy and Mary were both

buying matching necklaces for
$2 each and a jewelry box for
$3. Let x represent the number
of matching necklaces bought.

Kelly was buying lunches for her

friends. Sandwiches are $3
each, and chips are $2. Let x
represent the number of lunches
she is buying.

Danny is running a summer

camp. For each camper, it will
cost $2 for art kits, $3 for camp
kits and $5 for food. Let x
represent the total number of
campers.

Karley was taking a test where

every question was worth 5
points. She missed two points on
every question. Let x represent
the number of questions on the
test.
 Equivalent Expression Matching KEY
Expression Simplified Expression Situation

3x + 2x 5x lunches

2(2x + 3) 4x + 6 jewelry

3x + 2 + 5x 8x + 2 hats

5x - 2x 3x test

5 + 2(2x + 4) 4x + 13 read-a-thon

4(3x – 5) 12x -20 Relay for Life

7x – 3x 4x T-shirts

3x – 5 + 4x 7x – 5 mugs and bowls

2x + 3x + 5x 10x summer camp

Expression Matching Practice Key

Expression Matching Activity Exit
1 and D 4(5x + 6) and 20x + 24
Ticket Key
2 and G 4x + 5x + 6 and 9x + 6
1. Are the expressions 5(4x + 3) and 20x + 3
3 and C 4x + 5x + 6x and 15x
equivalent? Why or why not?
4 and H 6(5x + 4) and 30x + 24 Sample answer: No, they are not equivalent because
the 5 would also need to be multiplied by the 3 because
5 and I 5(6x - 4) and 30x - 20 of the distributive property. 5(4x + 3) is really
equivalent to 20x + 15.
6 and A 4 + 5(6x + 2) and 30x + 14

7 and E 4 + 5x + 6 and 5x + 10 2. Are the expressions 5x + 4 + 3x and 8x +

4 equivalent? Why or why not?
8 and J 4(5x + 6) + 3 and 20x + 27 Sample answer: Yes, these are equivalent. The 5x and
3x are like terms that can be combined to 8x, and you
9 and F 2(4x + 5x + 6) and 18x + 12
still have to add the 4.
10 and B 4(5x) + 6 and 20x + 6
3. What is the most important thing to
Choose one of the sets of expressions from
know when deciding if two expressions are
above, and write a situation that could
match the set of expressions. Answers
equivalent?
Answers will vary.
will vary.

4. What questions do you still have about

this?
Questions will vary.

© Wilcox’s Way, Jenny Wilcox 2016