Where Letters Start to Make Sense — and Math Becomes a Language
About This Class
Pre-Algebra is where math transforms. We move from working only with numbers to working with unknowns — using variables to represent quantities, write equations, and model real situations. It's the course that opens the door to all of algebra, and honestly, most of the math that comes after.
Students who take Pre-Algebra seriously often look back and say it was the moment math "clicked." That's because the thinking skills we build here — reasoning with symbols, writing equations from context, solving for unknowns — are the same thinking skills used by programmers, analysts, engineers, and scientists every day.
We'll move at a pace that lets everyone build genuine understanding, not just procedural fluency. Expect real-world problems, collaborative work, and a lot of "oh, that's actually useful" moments.
Writing, evaluating, and simplifying expressions; combining like terms
One-step, two-step, and multi-step equations; variables on both sides
Proportions, percent change, discount, tax, tip, and simple interest
Input/output tables, graphing, slope as rate of change, intro to functions
Area, perimeter, volume, the Pythagorean theorem, and scale drawings
Math in the Real World
Every discount, sale price, and tax calculation is a percent equation. Is the "Buy 2, Get 30% Off" deal better than the "15% Off Sitewide" code? That's Pre-Algebra. Knowing how to solve it gives you a real financial edge.
Variables in code are literally algebraic variables — they store unknown values that change as a program runs. The logic of "if x > 10, then do this" is the exact same reasoning we practice solving inequalities. Every app you use runs on this math.
Contractors use equations every day to estimate materials, convert measurements, and calculate costs. "If one gallon of paint covers 400 sq ft, how many gallons do I need for 2,240 sq ft?" That's Pre-Algebra — and getting it wrong costs money.
Pharmacists calculate medication doses using proportional equations based on a patient's weight, age, and kidney function. A nurse calculating an IV drip rate is solving a unit-rate equation. Pre-Algebra is literally a life-saving math course.
Lesson Plans
Click any highlighted date to jump to that lesson. Lesson plan PDFs will be linked here as they are posted — check back regularly throughout the semester.
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