Maryland Math 6.AT.C.10.a
The Standard
- 6.AT.C.10
- Solve problems in context by writing and solving inequalities and interpreting solution sets in context.
Explain that a variable can represent an unknown number in a set and use substitution to determine whether a given number in a set makes an inequality true.
Maryland College and Career Ready Standards for Mathematics (2025) · REASON ABOUT AND SOLVE ONE-VARIABLE EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students test numbers from a given list in an inequality. They replace the letter with each number and decide whether the result is true.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Given x in {1, 3, 5} and 2x + 1 ≤ 7, a student identifies 1 and 3 as values that work. They show the calculation for each choice, including why 5 does not work.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat ≤ as < and reject a value that makes both sides equal. Some check only one number from the list or forget to multiply when substituting into 2x.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: For x in {1, 3, 5}, which values make 2x + 1 ≤ 7 true? Show your substitution for each value.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give students number cards 1, 3, and 5 to sort onto true and false mats for 2x + 1 ≤ 7.
Ask partners: Does x = 4 make 2x + 1 < 10 true? What changes if the sign is ≤?
Have pairs flip number cards and race to check 3x < 12, keeping only cards that make it true.
A fair charges $5 entry plus $2 per ride; test whether 1, 3, or 4 rides fit an $11 budget.
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Printable 6.AT.C.10.a Worksheet
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Related Standards
- 7.AT.C.9
Use variables to represent quantities and write and solve inequalities to model and reason about constraints and conditions in context.
- 6.AT.C.10
Solve problems in context by writing and solving inequalities and interpreting solution sets in context.
- 7.AT.C.8
Use variables to represent quantities and write and solve equations to model and reason about relationships in context.
- 6.AT.C.8.a
Explain that a variable can represent an unknown number and use substitution to determine whether a given number makes an equation true.
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