One-Step Equations Practice
20 questions · 60 seconds · equations like x + 7 = 15 and 4x = 28
Free · no login · instant feedback on every answer
Take the first real step into algebra: one-step equations. Twenty questions in sixty seconds, each a small equation — x + 7 = 15, x − 4 = 9, 4x = 28, or x ÷ 3 = 6 — solved by undoing a single operation. Every solution is a whole number, and instant feedback shows immediately whether the inverse operation was applied correctly.
Solving for x is the move all of algebra is built on, and one-step equations are where it becomes automatic. The underlying idea — do the opposite operation to both sides — is exactly the same one that later untangles two-step equations, proportions, and formulas. Drilling it against a clock turns a procedure that students narrate slowly ("subtract 7 from both sides…") into something they simply see.
Tips That Make It Stick
- Undo with the opposite operation. If the equation adds 7, subtract 7; if it multiplies by 4, divide by 4. Every one-step equation is solved by one inverse operation applied to both sides.
- Read 4x as multiplication. A number written against x means times: 4x = 28 asks "4 times what is 28?" — so the answer comes from division, not subtraction.
- Check by substituting back. After solving x + 7 = 15 with x = 8, plug it in: 8 + 7 = 15. ✓ A five-second check catches nearly every slip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a one-step equation?
An equation solved by undoing a single operation: x + 7 = 15, x − 4 = 9, 4x = 28, or x ÷ 3 = 6. Applying the inverse operation to both sides isolates x in one move — which is why these are the first equations students learn to solve.
What grade learns one-step equations?
One-step equations are introduced in 6th grade and drilled to fluency in 7th grade pre-algebra, where they become the foundation for two-step equations and beyond.
Are the answers always whole numbers?
Yes — every equation in this drill is built backwards from a whole-number solution, so x always comes out to a positive integer. The thinking skill being trained is choosing the right inverse operation, not wrestling with fractions.
Matching Printable Worksheets
Prefer paper practice? These free PDF worksheets cover the same skill — each includes an answer key: