December 2nd, 2010 
admin Elementary Algebra tutorials for kids or basic algebra homeschooling lessons must be fun and easy. Why not teach Basic Algebra to your kids or students as a Mystery Game.
Here’s how:
I always tell my younger students to enjoy Algebra tutorials as a Mystery Game. Let the imagination of your children soar. Mr X is wily old Variable who is hiding behind a mask and you have to unravel the mystery and pin down Mr X’s value. He is the Most Wanted Baddie and if you look at the Algebraic Equation then it is really Mr. X versus Rest of the World .
There is really no stopping the fun. Mr X has company. He may have other accomplice like Miss Coefficient (moll in red high heels, clinging to the arm of Mr X) and Mr Constant, his white-haired, reliable secretary. Just imagine them first trying to shield Mr X from the Police and then relenting under pressure to cross over to the other side of the “equal” sign. Slowly everybody deserts Mr X who is isolated on the Left Hand Side and is forced to reveal his real identity (value) in this Algebraic Tutorial.
Now stop and think about this Algebra analogy.
Of course ! The best job goes to your students or kids: they are the detectives, Sherlock Holmes of Algebra. I hope by the end of our game, they would say, even to a biquadratic equation: “It is elementary algebra my dear Watson”.
Now this game can have many levels of difficulties just to keep the interest level up. Your child could be dealing with different kinds of Algebraic Expressions :
Monomial – Mono means single as in monocycle, monocle and monoacting. So naturally a monomial stands for an algebraic expression with a single term. For example, 2x, 3xy, -4 are monomials. The easiest culprits to nail.
Binomial- Bi means two in Latin as in bicycle, binocular and binary. An algebraic expression containing two terms is called a binomial. For example , 6x +8
Trinomial- Well need you try? Trinomials as in tricycle, triangle and triumvirate. An algebraic expression containing three terms is called a trinomial.
Quadrinomial- Quad means four like a quadrilateral has 4 sides. So an algebraic expression containing four terms is called a quadrinomial.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shahryar_Badar_Khan
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