Algebra Basics Jeopardy

Pre-algebra practice as a buzzer game: expressions, one- and two-step equations, coordinates, and word translation. Costs nothing to copy and host.

6 categories · 30 clues · Final Jeopardy · everyone buzzes in from their phone

Copies all 30 clues into an editor of your own. Free, no account needed.

Every clue on this board

This page is public, so anyone can read the answers — copy the board and swap a few clues before game day.

Variables and Expressions

$200
This is the value of the expression x plus 5 when x equals 3.
What is 8?
$400
This is the value of the expression 3x when x equals 4.
What is 12?
$600
This is the value of the expression 2x plus 1 when x equals 5.
What is 11?
$800
This is the value of the expression x squared when x equals 6.
What is 36?
$1,000
This is the value of the expression 3x squared minus 2 when x equals 3.
What is 25?

One-Step Equations

$200
This is the value of x in the equation x plus 4 equals 10.
What is 6?
$400
This is the value of x in the equation x minus 9 equals 5.
What is 14?
$600
This is the value of x in the equation 5x equals 45.
What is 9?
$800
This is the value of x in the equation x divided by 4 equals 7.
What is 28?
$1,000
This is the value of x in the equation 8x equals 104.
What is 13?

Two-Step Equations

$200
This is the value of x in the equation 2x plus 3 equals 11.
What is 4?
$400
This is the value of x in the equation 3x minus 5 equals 16.
What is 7?
$600
This is the value of x in the equation 7x plus 1 equals 15.
What is 2?
$800
This is the value of x in the equation 9x minus 6 equals 39.
What is 5?
$1,000
This is the value of x in the equation 6x plus 31 equals 91.
What is 10?

The Coordinate Plane

$200
This is the name for the ordered pair that marks where the x-axis and y-axis cross.
What is the origin?
$400
This is the quadrant that contains the point (3, 4), where both coordinates are positive.
What is Quadrant I?
$600
This is the quadrant that contains the point (-2, 5), where x is negative and y is positive.
What is Quadrant II?
$800
This is the quadrant that contains the point (-6, -1), where both coordinates are negative.
What is Quadrant III?
$1,000
This is the quadrant that contains the point (5, -7), where x is positive and y is negative.
What is Quadrant IV?

Patterns and Sequences

$200
This is the next number in the pattern 5, 8, 11, 14.
What is 17?
$400
This is the next number in the pattern 2, 8, 14, 20.
What is 26?
$600
This is the missing number in the pattern 3, 7, 11, blank, 19.
What is 15?
$800
This is the next number in the pattern 1, 2, 4, 8, 16.
What is 32?
$1,000
This is the missing number in the pattern 2, 6, 12, 20, blank, 42.
What is 30?

Translate the Words

$200
This is the algebraic expression for 5 more than a number n.
What is n + 5?
$400
This is the algebraic expression for a number x decreased by 8.
What is x - 8?
$600
This is the algebraic expression for triple a number y.
What is 3y?
$800
This is the algebraic expression for a number t split into 4 equal groups.
What is t/4?
$1,000
This is the algebraic expression for 7 less than twice a number m.
What is 2m - 7?

Final Jeopardy — Math History

The coordinate plane that links algebra to geometry is named for this French philosopher and mathematician.

Who is Rene Descartes?

How to run this board

Before students can do algebra, they have to stop fearing the letter x. This board eases them in with variables and expressions, then works up through one- and two-step equations, the coordinate plane, number patterns, and translating words into symbols.

Give teams thirty seconds of silent work time on equation questions before opening the buzzers; it stops the fastest student from doing all the thinking. The full board plus Final Jeopardy fits a standard period with time to review the two or three questions that caused the most trouble.

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