Algebra Readiness Made Easy Grade 5

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Menu Matters

Overview

Presented with signs of special menu deals, each showing the total cost of two

categories of items, students solve for the cost of each item. This is preparation for

solving systems of equations with one or two unknowns.

Algebra

Solve two equations with two unknowns • Replace unknowns with their values

Problem-Solving Strategies

Reason deductively • Test cases

Related Math Skills

Compute with amounts of money

Math Language

Replace • Sum • Total cost

Introducing the Problem Set

Make photocopies of “Solve the Problem: Menu Matters” (page 44) and distribute

to students. Have students work in pairs, encouraging them to discuss strategies they

might use to solve the problem. You may want to walk around and listen in on some

of their discussions. After a few minutes, display the problem on the board (or on the

overhead if you made a transparency) and use the following questions to guide a

whole-class discussion on how to solve the problem:

What is in Special #1? (2 chicken sandwiches and 2 ears of corn for $16.00.)

What is in Special #2? (3 chicken sandwiches and a $4.00 quart of lemonade for a total of

$22.00.)

What is the total cost of 3 chicken sandwiches without the lemonade?($22.00 –$4.00,

or $18.00.)

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