You memorised steps without understanding
And they faded as soon as the test was over.
Courses
Start with three things you can do today
How to understand algebra as an adult
Understand why algebra's steps work, so you can solve equations without memorising.
Start with what a letter stands for and the idea that an equation is a balance, then build up to linear equations, brackets, formulas and word problems. Each idea is practised on a few problems you check yourself, at a pace that matches where you are starting from.
Type this when Cadence asks what you want to learn
I want to finally understand algebra. I scraped through it at school by memorising steps, and now I need it again for a course and for helping my child, so I want to know why the steps actually work.
Change any word so it fits your situation. The course is built from what you type and a few setup questions.
Start today
Three things you can do before the course exists.
Useful on their own. The course is for when you want the whole skill, not just the first move.
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Solve one equation as a balance
For 3x + 5 = 20, subtract 5 from both sides to get 3x = 15, then divide both sides by 3 to get x = 5. Say what you did to both sides at each step instead of 'move the 5 over'.
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Always check by substituting
Put x = 5 back into the original equation: 3 times 5 is 15, plus 5 is 20. It matches, so the answer is right. This one check catches most sign and arithmetic slips and needs no answer key.
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Write a word problem as an equation
Illustrative example: a taxi charges 4 plus 2 per kilometre and the fare was 18. Let k be the kilometres: 4 + 2k = 18, so 2k = 14 and k = 7. Check: 4 + 14 = 18. Naming the unknown first is most of the work.
Sources: OpenStax: Elementary Algebra 2e, a free open textbook. Practical examples are starting points, not promised results.
- Best for
- Math & numbers
- Prerequisites
- None. Bring the situation you have.
- Course length
- 7 to 30 lessons, sized to your goal
- Lesson pace
- About 10 minutes a day
- Format
- Read it, or play the audio
- Access
- Available on the App Store, with early features and Android testing access
Before the course is built
Setup asks about your situation first.
Lesson 1 opens on the moment you describe, and the examples use your role. For this request, expect questions like these.
- Why algebra now: a course, an exam, helping a child, or unfinished business?
- What do you remember: basic equations, or very little beyond arithmetic?
- Where did algebra go wrong for you at school, if you remember?
Right for now
If any of this sounds familiar, start here.
You need it for a course or exam
A return to study, an entrance test or a qualification.
Your child's homework is beyond you
You want to help without guessing.
Course arc
Where the course goes, in order.
Cadence writes the lessons for you, so the exact path follows your answers. This is the ground a course built from this sentence covers.
01 / 06Letters as numbers
Variables, expressions and why we use letters at all.
The balance
Doing the same thing to both sides, and why that works.
Brackets and negatives
Expanding, collecting like terms and the sign rules.
Formulas
Rearranging a formula to find the quantity you want.
Word problems
Choosing the unknown and writing the equation.
Graphs of lines
Slope and intercept, and what y = mx + c shows.
What changes
What you will be able to do, and what you will stop believing.
You will be able to
Read algebra
Say what an expression or equation means in words.
Solve linear equations
Keep an equation balanced and check your answer by substituting it back.
Turn words into equations
Translate a real question into algebra and solve it.
Ideas this course corrects
Algebra is a separate subject from arithmetic
It is arithmetic with an unknown number, and its rules follow from rules you already use with numbers.
Moving a term across the equals sign flips its sign by magic
You are adding or subtracting the same amount on both sides. The shortcut is just a record of that step.
Course questions
What to know before you start.
How to understand algebra as an adult: what can I do today?
Solve one equation as a balance. For 3x + 5 = 20, subtract 5 from both sides to get 3x = 15, then divide both sides by 3 to get x = 5. Say what you did to both sides at each step instead of 'move the 5 over'. Always check by substituting. Put x = 5 back into the original equation: 3 times 5 is 15, plus 5 is 20. It matches, so the answer is right. This one check catches most sign and arithmetic slips and needs no answer key. Write a word problem as an equation. Illustrative example: a taxi charges 4 plus 2 per kilometre and the fare was 18. Let k be the kilometres: 4 + 2k = 18, so 2k = 14 and k = 7. Check: 4 + 14 = 18. Naming the unknown first is most of the work.
Is this a fixed course?
No. Cadence builds the course when you type the sentence and answer a few setup questions, so the lessons follow your situation. This page describes what a course built from this request covers. You see the whole path before Lesson 1.
Who is this course for?
Start with what a letter stands for and the idea that an equation is a balance, then build up to linear equations, brackets, formulas and word problems. Each idea is practised on a few problems you check yourself, at a pace that matches where you are starting from. It sits under Math & numbers in the Ideas & discovery part of the library.
Do I need any prior experience?
No. Setup asks what you already know and where you want to use it, and the course starts from there. Bring a real situation if you have one; the examples are built around it.
How long does it take?
Courses run 7 to 30 lessons of about 10 minutes, sized to what you asked for. One lesson a day is the intended pace, and you can go faster. Lessons can be read or played as audio.
Does this course award a certificate or degree?
No. Cadence is for practical self-learning and does not award accredited degrees or professional certification.
Start today
Type it, answer a few questions, open Lesson 1.
The sentence to type
I want to finally understand algebra. I scraped through it at school by memorising steps, and now I need it again for a course and for helping my child, so I want to know why the steps actually work.