Two step equations practice for 7th grade math, with ten Mini Mystery Detective cases on solving equations of the form px + q = r and p(x + q) = r. It's 7.EE.B.4a work that uses integers, negative numbers and decimals, and the smuggling ring theme suits middle school. Use the worksheets as warm-ups, in math centers or for homework during your expressions and equations unit. There's no prep, and every case has an answer key.
Cases 1 to 4 have no parentheses. They start with positive answers, then bring in negative numbers, negative coefficients and decimal coefficients. Cases 5 to 7 move on to equations with parentheses, and the last three cases mix both kinds. Students find each answer on the suspect list and cross that name off. If every answer is right, one suspect is left at the end, and that's the villain.
What's Inside
- 10 one-page cases with 20 two-step equations each, and an answer key for every case
- Equations written both ways around, like 7t − 34 = 344 and 168 = −3(k − 36)
- Every answer is a whole number. Some are negative
- A reference page with worked examples on signs, decimal coefficients, parentheses and checking an answer
- Contents page, teacher instructions, a case log and a certificate
- 30 pages in black and white
The Cases
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The Missing Container - rare violins gone from the dock
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The Forged Manifest - stolen paintings listed as bananas
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The Ghost Ship - a cargo ship unloading in fog
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The Rigged Scales - crates weighing less than they should
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The Midnight Truck - a truck with no license plates
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The Fake Barcodes - fake sneakers stamped as frozen fish
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The Secret Warehouse - a warehouse missing from every map
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The Hijacked Crane - a container loaded onto a fishing boat
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The Swapped Crates - diamonds swapped for rubber ducks
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The Last Cargo Train - the smuggling ring's final shipment
When to Use This Resource
Case 1 is a good place to start once your class has solved a few two-step equations with positive numbers. The cases get harder in the order they're numbered, which means you can hand them out as the unit goes along. Cases 8 to 10 mix both forms of equation, and they make a solid review before a unit test. The pack also works for small groups, sub days, early finishers and state test prep. 8th grade teachers can use it to review equations at the start of the year.
Grade Levels
Made for 7th grade (7.EE.B.4a). Strong 6th graders who are ready for two-step equations can use it too, and it fits 8th grade or pre algebra review.
Why Teachers Love Mystery Detectives
- Nothing to prep. Print the pages and hand them out
- Self-checking, because each right answer crosses off a suspect
- Integers, decimals and parentheses in one pack
- A port smuggling theme written for middle school
- Black and white pages
Want more cases like these?
Follow Kiwiland Education to discover more CSI Mini Mystery Detective cases, no-prep math activities, and detective-themed printables for middle school classrooms.
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