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: