{"product_id":"combining-like-terms-math-mystery-worksheets-grades-6-8-distributive-property","title":"Combining Like Terms | Math Mystery Worksheets | Grades 6–8 | Distributive Property","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTen detective cases take students from their first like terms to distributing twice\u003c\/strong\u003e — they simplify each expression, write it in the answer box, match it to a suspect, and cross suspects off until one is left standing. This no-prep, printable, self-checking Math Mystery keeps 6th, 7th and 8th graders engaged and works for math centers, morning work, homework, early finishers, substitute\/relief days, spiral review, and test prep. The cases run in \u003cstrong\u003efour labelled difficulty levels\u003c\/strong\u003e, so one file differentiates across the whole unit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eQuick Details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSkill:\u003c\/strong\u003e Combining like terms and the distributive property · \u003cstrong\u003eGrades:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6–8 · \u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10 mysteries across 4 difficulty levels + full answer keys (printable PDF) · \u003cstrong\u003eTheme:\u003c\/strong\u003e School detective\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe 10 Mysteries\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLevel 1 — No negatives.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThe Missing Locker Tag\u003c\/strong\u003e — locker 214 has lost its name tag and nobody on the corridor saw a thing. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Vanished Hall Pass\u003c\/strong\u003e — gone from its hook, with a blank sign-out sheet. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Empty Supply Closet\u003c\/strong\u003e — the art room shelves were cleared overnight through a locked door.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLevel 2 — With negatives.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThe Lost Trip Forms\u003c\/strong\u003e — the signed permission slips have gone from the bus and the trip cannot leave. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Broken Scoreboard\u003c\/strong\u003e — the gym board froze at zero with two minutes left and nobody will say who was at the panel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLevel 3 — Combine like terms.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThe Yearbook Proofs\u003c\/strong\u003e — the only printed proofs vanished two days before deadline. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Swapped Lunches\u003c\/strong\u003e — every order came out on the wrong tray. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Silent School Bell\u003c\/strong\u003e — the bell has not rung all day and the wiring cupboard was unlocked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLevel 4 — Distribute twice.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThe Lost Show Tickets\u003c\/strong\u003e — every ticket is gone from the box under the stage, three hours before curtain. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Sabotaged Fair\u003c\/strong\u003e — half the projects were unplugged the night before judging, in a sealed hall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy Teachers Love It\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZero prep — print and teach. The built-in answer keys make every case self-checking, so students get instant feedback and stay motivated. The four labelled levels mean one file spans the whole unit: hand Level 1 to a student meeting variables for the first time and Level 4 to one who has finished early, in the same lesson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSkills Covered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIdentifying like terms, combining terms with the same variable, adding and subtracting negative coefficients, applying the distributive property, distributing across two brackets and simplifying the result, and writing a simplified algebraic expression correctly — plus logical reasoning and deductive elimination as students rule suspects out clue by clue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's Included\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrintable one-page mystery worksheets in four labelled levels, suspect line-ups, complete answer keys with the villain marked, and student instructions — all in one PDF.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBest Used For\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimplifying expressions practice in math centers, morning work, homework, early finishers, substitute\/relief days, spiral review, and test prep for grades 6–8.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eMore From This Line\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse every \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/math-mystery\"\u003eMath Mystery pack\u003c\/a\u003e, or keep the algebra unit going with \u003ca href=\"\/products\/solving-quadratic-equations-by-factoring-math-mystery-worksheets-grades-8-10-algebra-1\"\u003eSolving Quadratic Equations by Factoring\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/finding-slope-math-mystery-worksheets-grades-7-9-graphs-tables-and-points\"\u003eFinding Slope\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kiwiland Education","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":62264449859954,"sku":"17343448","price":4.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0909\/2848\/0626\/files\/CombiningLikeTermsandDistributivePropertyWorksheetsMathMystery.jpg?v=1788135360","url":"https:\/\/kiwilandeducation.com\/products\/combining-like-terms-math-mystery-worksheets-grades-6-8-distributive-property","provider":"Kiwiland Education","version":"1.0","type":"link"}