CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY MATHEMATICS 7: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
Additional teaching
ideas
2.3 Collecting like terms
Starter idea
Fruit pies (10 minutes)
Resources: Notebooks
Description: Before the discussion.
Tell learners that a factory makes fruit pies. Each
pie contains two types of fruit. Each pie always has
half the content of one fruit and half the content of
another fruit.
Say ‘The factory makes apple and blackberry pies.
What is three apple and blackberry pies add five
apple and blackberry pies?’ Hopefully, learners give
the answer ‘eight apple and blackberry pies’. Agree,
and then write the sum on the board:
3ab + 5ab = 8ab [Ask learners to copy this into their
notebooks.]
‘But I could say, “What is three blackberry and
apple pies add five blackberry and apple pies?” [write
‘3ba + 5ba = __’ on the board], and the answer could
be eight blackberry and apple pies [write ‘8ba’ as the
answer, and again ask learners to copy]. Then say
‘What if I ask “What is three apple and blackberry
pies add five blackberry and apple pies?”’ On the
board write ‘3ab + 5ba = __’.
Wait for answers. It might be necessary to remind
learners that the pies are half and half apple and
blackberry, they are equal in the pie. Lead the
discussion to ‘it doesn’t matter if it’s 8ab or 8ba’,
but it can be only one of those two options. Then
tell learners that to make things like this easier, you
usually write the letters in alphabetical order, so the
answer should be 8ab [ask learners to copy].
Write on the board, away from the previous work:
‘ 1 10pm 2 10mp 3 4pm 4 4mp’
Tell learners that the factory also makes pineapple
and mango pies.
Ask learners ‘What is seven pineapple and mango
pies [write ‘7pm’ on the board] subtract [write ‘−’]
three mango and pineapple pies [write ‘3mp = __’]?’
Say ‘When I say “now”, put up your hand and show,
using fingers, if you think it is answer 1, 2, 3 or 4.’
1 Cambridge Lower Secondary Mathematics 7 – Byrd, Byrd & Pearce © Cambridge University Press 2021
‘Now!’ You should quickly see if learners have
understood and, if not, which part [added instead of
subtracted, alphabetical order or not] they have not
understood. If needed, do another ‘pineapple and
mango pies’ question, similar to the previous one,
after working through why the answer is 4 4mp.
This is a useful, fun starter idea activity that helps
learners get used to adding/subtracting like terms
that are not in the same order [e.g. 3ab + 5ba].
However, it does not reinforce that, in algebra, ab
means a × b, that ba means b × a and that a × b and
b × a are the same. This is covered in the discussion.
If you have a more confident class, ignore this starter
idea activity and extend the discussion as a way of
dealing with 3ab + 5ba, etc.
Main teaching ideas
Collect and check online (10–20 minutes)
Learning intention: To practise how to manipulate
algebraic expressions by collecting like terms.
Resources: Enter ‘transum.org collecting like terms’
into a search engine. When directed to the page,
learners complete the level 1 material, which changes
every time it is clicked so that no two sessions are the
same. This is a free resource. Remember, learners can
access this too. They might wish to practise at home,
so make sure they write down the web address of
this excellent resource. There are many other similar
resources available.
Description: Before or after doing Question 4. Using
an electronic whiteboard will mean that all learners
see the same questions. Using a suite of computers/
tablets will result in all learners seeing different
questions.
When you have brought up the Transum site, the
screen will show several options. Remember that the
questions get harder as you go down the page, so
think about which learner to ask which question.
Ask learners, in turn [or get them into pairs or small
groups first and ask each pair/group in turn], for an
answer and you enter the answer. Ask the rest of the
class if they agree, and check using the ‘check’ button
 CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY MATHEMATICS 7: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
located below the questions. Either get learners to
retry if they are incorrect or congratulate them and
move on.
or
Ask each learner, in turn, to enter their answer and
then click the ‘check’ button. They can then get help
from other learners if required. The other learners
can explain what mistake the learner might have
made. They should not just give the answer.
If each learner has individual access to the site and
you wish to limit the time spent on this activity,
set a time limit. This will lead to differentiation by
outcome but, hopefully, all learners will be successful
and practise a valuable skill.
Differentiation ideas: There are 12 questions per
page, but you can call up as many pages as you wish.
The questions start easy and get harder, so ensure
that learners [or pairs/groups] are asked in an order
that maximises their chance of success.
Question 7, Think like a mathematician
(15 minutes)
Learning intention: To understand how to manipulate
algebraic expressions by collecting like terms. To
understand that xy and yx are essentially the same
and that 4xy + 3yx = 7xy.
Resources: Notebooks
Description: Tell learners that you are going to give
them a hint with the discussion that follows.
On the board write ‘a = 3, b = 5’.
Then under it, write ‘ab = __’. Ask for answers.
If learners give the answer ‘15’, ask ‘How did
you get that answer?’ Reinforce that
‘ab = a × b = 3 × 5 = 15’.
If learners give any other answer [i.e. not ‘15’],
explain that whenever you see letters together like
this in algebra, there is actually a multiplication
sign between the numbers*. It is a method that
mathematicians all over the world use. So, ab actually
means a × b.
Then ask for an answer.
Make sure you now have ‘ab = a × b = 3 × 5 = 15’
written on the board.
Under the letters ab write ba and ask for answers.
Make sure you now also have ‘ba = b × a = 5 × 3 = 15’
on the board. Emphasise that ab and ba are the
same, but it is common practice to write them in
alphabetical order.
Tell learners that, in general, when they see things
like ba or db or qp, they should rewrite them as ab,
2 Cambridge Lower Secondary Mathematics 7 – Byrd, Byrd & Pearce © Cambridge University Press 2021
bd and pq [i.e. in alphabetical order]. They mean the
same, but it looks tidier and it makes other jobs in
algebra easier.
Now set the discussion, but be ready to reinforce
that xy and yx are the same thing, so learners should
rewrite the yx as xy and then simplify.
* At this level, the only time that this is not true is
usually when there is a formula with metric units; for
example, ‘cm’ means centimetre, not ‘c × m’.
Answers: a 7xy  b 5pq + 4de
Differentiation ideas: You can help learners who
correctly answer part a but have difficulty with part b
by telling them to rewrite 8pq + 2ed − 3qp + 2de as
8pq − 3qp + 2ed + 2de. If that still doesn’t help
enough, draw a vertical line between 3qp and 2ed and
tell them to work on each part separately.
Spot the mistake (10–15 minutes)
Learning intention: To spot and explain common
mistakes.
Resources: Notebooks
Description: Before doing Question 9.
Write on the board:
1 5a + 3b = 8ab
2 5a − 4b + 3b = 5a − 7b
3 5a + 8b − 2a − b = 3a + 8
4 5a − 8b − 5a = 8b
5 5a + 2 = 7a
6 5ab + 2ab + 3ba = 7ab + 3ba
Ask learners to decide what mistakes have been made
and to explain how these mistakes have been made,
and to give the correct answer.
Answers: 5a + 3b, 5a − b, 3a + 7b, −8b, 5a + 2, 10ab
Differentiation ideas: Many of the common
mistakes are made by less confident learners (or
learners who work too quickly). These are the
learners who need to do this activity the most, but
who will also find it the most difficult. Working in
pairs and small groups might help. Also help learners
to focus by telling them to take their time with these
questions. Tell them that their main aim is to get
the correct answer. Encourage the more confident
learners to concentrate on trying to explain why the
mistakes were made in the first place, as this will
deepen their understanding.
 CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY MATHEMATICS 7: TEACHER’S RESOURCE

Plenary idea Assessment ideas: There is an infinite range of

answers, so when completed, pair learners, get them
What was subtracted? (10 minutes, but to swap answers and let them check if they are
this is very flexible. You might decide to correct. You can use any answers that learners cannot
try just two or three examples or to give agree on as the basis of a good class discussion.
learners more practice.)
Resources: Notebooks
Description: Ask learners for expressions that can be
subtracted to give, for example, 5a, 4x, 3x + 2y and
3a + 5b. If appropriate, extend to expressions such as
5x − 2y or 3a − 3b.

3 Cambridge Lower Secondary Mathematics 7 – Byrd, Byrd & Pearce © Cambridge University Press 2021