Common Mistakes Made by Year 7 Students with Variables and Constants

1. Confusing Definitions

   • About 60% of Year 7 students mix up variables (like $x$ and $y$) with constants (like $3$ and $5$). This mix-up can cause mistakes when they try to simplify problems.

2. Wrong Substitution

   • Studies show that nearly 45% of students put the wrong values into algebraic expressions. They often use incorrect numbers for the variables, which can mess up their answers.

3. Struggling with Like Terms

   • Around 50% of students have trouble spotting like terms. Many don't realize that $2x$ and $3x$ can be combined, which leads to wrong answers.

4. Ignoring Order of Operations

   • In tests, 40% of Year 7 students forget to follow the order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS). This leads to mistakes with expressions like $3 + 2 \times x$.

5. Difficulty Solving Simple Equations

   • Only 30% manage to solve simple equations, like $2x + 3 = 7$, correctly. Many make mistakes when trying to balance and isolate the variables.