Write an Inequality From a Word Problem Lesson Plan - 6th Grade Math
Overview
At this point, students have learned about inequality symbols and what they represent. In this lesson, we’ll introduce writing an inequality from a word problem for `6`th graders. You can expect this lesson to take one `45`-minute class period.
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Objective
Students will be able to write an inequality to represent a real-world or mathematical problem.
Materials
- Warm-up
- Teacher slideshow
- Online Practice
How to Teach Inequality Word Problems
Warm-up
Start students out with this warm-up to review inequalities with variables and what set of numbers would make the inequality true.
When students are finished, go over the answers as a class. You can ask students to volunteer their answers and any explanation for how they arrived there.
Introducing writing inequalities from word problems
Use the slideshow to do some examples as a class. Here’s the first one:
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Deciding which values would work
The format of the warm-up will help students to think about which of the statements would be true. Once we can figure out which statements are true, we can write the inequality in words, then as an inequality statement! For this example, go through each bullet as a class. Frame the questions like, “would you be able to ride the rollercoaster if you were greater than `3` feet tall? Say if you were `4` feet tall or `5` feet, `6` inches tall?”
Writing the inequality
After you’ve checked which boxes are correct, you say the inequality using words. For this example, since we checked the greater than box and the equal to box, we know that you must be greater than or equal to `3` feet tall to ride the rollercoaster. So, writing the inequality becomes recognizing the symbol.
The slideshow contains more example problems to continue practicing with the class. The key is for students to follow the process of figuring out what numbers would work, then writing the inequality!
Write an Inequality From a Word Problem Practice
Now it’s time for students to practice on their own! Try the ByteLearn assignment linked below. There are `5` real-world scenarios where students will be able to practice writing inequalities from word problems. They will receive immediate feedback as they respond and can ask Byte for help at any point!
View this practice