Many phrases, one value
Different expressions can have the same value.
Ways to make 12
The expression 10 + 2 has the value 12.
Could a different expression also have the value 12?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Different arithmetic expressions can have the same value.
Ways to make 12
The expression 10 + 2 has the value 12.
Could a different expression also have the value 12?
- No, only 10 + 2 can
- Yes, maybe one or two more
- Yes, a lot of them
Make 12 in four ways
Slide the two numbers until the expression works out to 12. Do it for each operation.
One value, many expressions
You found expressions that look very different, yet each one works out to 12.
Different arithmetic expressions can have the same value.
- Expression | Value
- 10 + 2 | 12
- 15 − 3 | 12
- 3 × 4 | 12
- 24 ÷ 2 | 12
Notes
Different arithmetic expressions can have the same value.
Check yourself
Which expression does not have the value 20?
9 + 9 has the same value as 6 × ?. What is the missing number?
Answer: 3
9 + 9 = 18 and 6 × 3 = 18.
Meera says: “If two expressions look different, their values must be different.” Is she right?
- 15 + 5. 15 + 5 = 20, so it does have the value 20.
- 30 − 5 — correct. Yes! 30 − 5 = 25, not 20.
- 4 × 5. 4 × 5 = 20, so it does have the value 20.
- 40 ÷ 2. 40 ÷ 2 = 20, so it does have the value 20.
- Yes. Different expressions always give different values.. We just found four different expressions that all have the value 12.
- No. For example 10 + 2 and 3 × 4 look different, but both are 12. — correct. Yes! Looking different does not mean a different value.
- Yes, but only if they use different operations.. 15 − 3 and 14 − 2 use the same operation, and both are 12.