⚖️ Primary Maths & Science Games · Grade 5 · Simple equations
Equation Balance: Do the Same to Both Sides
Solving an equation is keeping a balance level: whatever you do to one side, you do to the other. The usual slips are changing only one side and dividing before subtracting. Here, changing one side tips the balance at once.
- Free, no sign-up
- Ad-free play area
- Tablet friendly
- Parent mode
- A4 worksheet
- 5 levels
How to play
- In Explore, put x boxes and weights on the pans; the balance tips by the real weights. Set how heavy x is, or peek inside the boxes.
- Use “Do it to both sides”: take the same off both or share both sides equally and it stays level. Take something off one side only and it tips.
- Five levels: is it an equation? → x + a = b → ax = b → ax + b = c → pick the equation for a word problem, then solve it.
- Each step asks what you subtract from or divide both sides by, and ends with a check.
Curriculum unit
Primary maths, grade 5: letters for numbers, what an equation is, properties of equality, solving simple equations and word problems (PEP textbook, grade 5 volume 1, unit 5).
For parents and teachers
Mistakes are grouped as what an equation is, subtracting from both sides, dividing both sides, which comes first, using the wrong inverse, and writing the equation. If x + 5 = 12 gives 17, your child is still adding whenever they see +. Let them take weights off one pan only and watch it tip.