EXPRESSIONS AND EQUATIONS
Aligned to CCSS Sixth Grade Standard 6.EE - 2, 3, 4, 9
This problem helps to bridge the gap in student thinking from a pattern or story to a generalized arithmetic expression or formula. By the end of this problem, students will generate equations showing the number of toothpicks in a pattern that grows linearly. Since there are many ways to look at this problem, students may generate equations that look different but actually result in the same values. When this happens, we say that the equations are equivalent. A key part of this problem is highlighting the fact that equivalent expressions exist and that we can simplify expressions.