Summer Algebra Series - Are You Ready?
- qian58
- Jul 5
- 3 min read
Are you taking algebra in the fall? The good news is, you have probably already used it before:
If one game item does more damage but another takes less time to reload, which one is actually better?
If a hoodie is “30% off” but shipping gets added at the end, is it still a good deal?
If someone says one player is better because they scored more points, what happens when you compare minutes played, games missed, or shots taken?
That’s what algebra can be used for: finding missing numbers, comparing things fairly, and backing up your arguments.
One thing that can make algebra harder is that one small step can send the whole thing off course, even when you actually had the right ideas all along.
That’s where Sage comes in.
Sage is a curious dog who lives in a middle school. Nobody is completely sure how they got there, but they know every hallway, every warm patch of sun that they can nap in, and every place someone might have dropped part of a sandwich.
One day, on the way to their favorite closet, Sage found a thin crack in the wall. They tapped
it with one paw.
The crack opened.
A second later, Sage was pulled through and landed in a strange version of the school. It looked almost normal, except math was running everything. A reversed sign flipped the room upside down. A wrong step made the lockers stretch out into infinity. When Sage solved for x, lunch slid straight into their bowl.
At first, they had no idea what was going on. Then they started noticing the rules: Fractions made things bigger or smaller; negative numbers sent them backward; solving an equation opened hidden doors...
That was how Sage started learning math. The problem is, they are still only almost good at it. They usually understand the big idea, and get most of the problem right. But then, one tiny mistake sends them off track.
Your job is to catch it.
In this series, you’ll help Sage get ready for algebra. Each post gives you one skill to brush up on, a few traps to watch for, and some of Sage’s work to inspect. By fixing it, you’ll help them move forward.
Before you start, take the readiness check. It will show you which topics are worth reviewing and which ones you can skip, so you don’t waste time practicing things you already know. Then, use your results to go into the right posts.
Are you ready for Algebra? (Prealgebra topics)
Unlike a regular worksheet, you'll be able to use moment.of.math scratcphads to correct Sage's mistakes easily.
Watch: type a step and moment.of.math checks it instantly. Green means you're on track. Red means something is off.
Once you feel solid on the prealgebra topics above, you're ready to start on the real algebra below.
Algebra topics
Catch your algebra mistakes before they cost you
The scratchpad in this guide runs on moment.of.math — a free Chrome extension that checks your algebra line by line, on any problem. It can generate new variations problems, so you can get as much practice as you need. On many homework sites, it automatically detects the math on the page, so you don't have to copy anything over. Try it on tonight's homework.
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