Real-World Algebra Activities & Worksheets
Students write equations, spot linear and exponential growth, and solve for unknowns using numbers from the news and everyday life. They compare whether a hybrid, electric or gasoline car costs least over time, model a fast-growing plant, and work out how steep a treadmill really is. Every activity comes with a student worksheet, an answer key and the Common Core standards it covers.
Results
The Autumnal Equinox will occur on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 8:06 pm EDT. It is the time of year when an imaginary plane would pass through both...
Students look into a plant that doubles in height every month and work out a rule for its height at any point, then run that rule backwards to...
The history of the Dairy Queen franchise began with this ad in Illinois in 1938: All the ice cream that you can eat for only 10 cents! We...
Friday, June 5th, is National Donut Day . We have 2 activities to support this silly holiday. How much have doughnuts changed? Students become familiar with the word...
Which is a better deal, cloth or disposable diapers? How much did you cost your parents in diapers? In the future, how much could your kid's diapers cost?...
Gas prices are up, EVs are everywhere, and hybrid technology keeps improving! So which car is better? Which car would you/your family choose? Students compare the latest prices...
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual event in which mushers and teams of 12-16 dogs race across Alaska from Anchorage to Nome, in the cold...
This year, the 30-second Super Bowl ads will cost about 8 million dollars! Do you wonder how much one ad will cost next year? In 5 years? In...
Hosting the Olympic Games is extremely expensive. In this updated activity, students explore the cost of hosting the Olympics, what a cost overrun (percentage increase) means, and how...
Every year, even older students still get mixed up about horizontal and vertical slopes. Students do understand “rise over run,” but when it comes to horizontal and vertical...
We're at the midway point of the 2025 NFL season! What a great time to connect math to sports!🏈 In this activity, students use real statistics from recent...
Each year, we seem to spend more on Halloween! Are we surprised? In this updated activity, students will look at the rising Halloween participation and record-breaking spending to...