Name: __________________________________________ Date: ___________
Algebra I
1.1 Notes: Variables and Expressions
Objective: Translate between words and algebra. Evaluate algebraic expressions.
Vocabulary – complete the following chart by writing the four basic operations as the heading
for each column and then filling in words associated with those operations.
What is a variable?
Examples:
1. Write an algebraic expression given each sentence.
a. Kenny owns v video games. Stan owns 7 more video games than Kenny. Write an
expression for the number of video games Stan owns.
b. Jenny is 12 years younger than Candy. Write an expression for Jenny’s age if Candy is c
years old.
c. Jared can type 35 words per minute. Write an expression for the number of words he
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Holt McDougal Algebra 1
Name: __________________________________________ Date: ___________
Algebra I
can type in m minutes.
d. Mr. O’Brien’s commute to work is 0.5 hour less than Miss Santos’s commute. Write an
expression for the length of Mr. O’Brien’s commute if Miss Santos’s commute is h hours.
e. Mrs. Knighten bought a box of c cookies and split them evenly between the 25 students in
her classroom. Write an expression for the number of cookies each student received.
f. Enrique collected 152 recyclable bottles, and Latasha collected b recyclable bottles. Write
an expression for the number of bottles they collected altogether.
g. Tammy’s current rent is r dollars. Next month it will be reduced by $50. Write an
expression for next month’s rent in dollars.
2. Write a sentence to match the given algebraic expression.
a. 15  b
b.
x
16
c.
(2)(t)
d.
x9
Evaluating algebraic expressions:
Evaluate each expression for x  4, y  6, and z  3.
3. x  15
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4. 3y
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5. 15  z
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Evaluate each expression for x  2, y  18, and z  9.
6. x • z
7. y  x
8. y  z
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Holt McDougal Algebra 1
Name: __________________________________________ Date: ___________
______________________________
y
9. x
______________________________
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10. xy
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Algebra I
______________________________
11. z  x
______________________________
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Holt McDougal Algebra 1