Algebraic expressions and equations!
To learn many of these basics, students will be using the "Hands-on Equations" math program. Students will be using dice to represent numbers and game pieces to represent the x's. Students will then learn to manipulate these pieces to get the x's on one side and the number on the other. They are learning to solve simple equations with one unknown.
Check out the following websites to help understand this concept.
Variables, Expressions and Equations
Simple Equations
Solving One- Step Equations
Parent's Hand's On Equations Home Page