Unit 2 · Expressions, formulae and equations

Video lessons

26 lessons from established maths channels, all taught by native English speakers and all matched to a specific section of Unit 1. Every video ID was verified, so none of these links are broken.

CorbettmathsMath Antics Math with Mr. JKhan Academy Mathsaurus
This is the one page that needs an internet connection. The players below stream from YouTube. If you are working offline, use the printable PDFs on the downloads page instead, and come back to the videos later.

2.1 Constructing expressions4 videos

Algebra Basics: What Is Algebra?

American mathantics

Why we use letters at all, and what an expression means — the right video to open the whole unit with.

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Writing Algebraic Expressions (One Operation)

American Math with Mr. J

Turning a phrase such as “5 more than n” into an expression, one operation at a time.

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Writing Algebraic Expressions (Two Operations)

American Math with Mr. J

The harder wording — “4 more than twice a number” — where the order of the operations decides the answer.

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Writing Expressions with Variables

American stretchMath with Mr. J

More practice at translating words into algebra, with worked examples.

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2.2 Using expressions and formulae4 videos

Substitution into Expressions

British Corbettmaths

The British-curriculum method for substituting values, including negatives.

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Intro to Evaluating Algebraic Expressions

American Math with Mr. J

What substitution is and why you replace the letter before calculating. (“Evaluate” is the American word for it.)

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Evaluating Expressions with One Variable

American Math with Mr. J

A step-by-step guide with several worked examples.

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Evaluating Expressions with Two Variables

American stretchMath with Mr. J

Extends the method to formulae with two or more letters.

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2.3 Collecting like terms5 videos

Collecting Like Terms

British Corbettmaths

Uses the exact wording of the Cambridge syllabus — the best match for this section.

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Identifying Like Terms

American Math with Mr. J

Deals with the question learners get wrong first: which terms are actually alike?

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An Intro to Combining Like Terms

American Math with Mr. J

The method itself, built up slowly. (“Combining” = “collecting”.)

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Simplifying Expressions by Combining Like Terms

American Math with Mr. J

Longer practice set with expressions in several letters.

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All About Terms: Identifying, Counting and Combining

American stretchMath with Mr. J

Ties together terms, coefficients and constants — useful revision for 2.1 as well.

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2.4 Expanding brackets4 videos

Expanding Brackets

British Corbettmaths

Exactly the Stage 7 skill: one bracket, multiplied by a number or a letter.

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The Distributive Property Explained

American Math with Mr. J

Why expanding works. (“Distributive property” is the American name for expanding brackets.)

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Simplifying Algebraic Expressions: Distributive Property and Like Terms

American Math with Mr. J

Expanding two brackets and then collecting — the skill needed for the harder questions in this section.

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Expanding Two Brackets

British stretchCorbettmaths

Beyond Stage 7, but worth seeing if you finish early — it is where this leads next.

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2.5 Constructing and solving equations6 videos

Algebra Basics: Solving Basic Equations Part 1

American mathantics

The balance idea and one-step equations, built from scratch.

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Algebra Basics: Solving Basic Equations Part 2

American mathantics

Two-step equations, following straight on from Part 1.

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Solving Equations

British Corbettmaths

The British layout, with the working set out the way it is expected in exams.

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Solving One-Step Equations: A Step-By-Step Guide

American Math with Mr. J

Slow, careful treatment of the inverse-operation idea.

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Forming equations

British stretchCorbettmaths

Turning a worded problem into an equation before solving it — the hardest part of this section.

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Solving Equations Using the Distributive Property

American stretchMath with Mr. J

Equations that contain brackets.

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2.6 Inequalities3 videos

Inequalities

British Corbettmaths

What the symbols mean and how to read an inequality aloud.

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Inequalities on a number line

British Corbettmaths

Open and closed circles, and which way the arrow points.

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Solving inequalities

British stretchCorbettmaths

Solving an inequality with the same steps as an equation.

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All links in one tablecopy-friendly

SectionVideoChannelAccentLevel
2.1Algebra Basics: What Is Algebra?mathanticsAmericancore
2.1Writing Algebraic Expressions (One Operation)Math with Mr. JAmericancore
2.1Writing Algebraic Expressions (Two Operations)Math with Mr. JAmericancore
2.1Writing Expressions with VariablesMath with Mr. JAmericanstretch
2.2Substitution into ExpressionsCorbettmathsBritishcore
2.2Intro to Evaluating Algebraic ExpressionsMath with Mr. JAmericancore
2.2Evaluating Expressions with One VariableMath with Mr. JAmericancore
2.2Evaluating Expressions with Two VariablesMath with Mr. JAmericanstretch
2.3Collecting Like TermsCorbettmathsBritishcore
2.3Identifying Like TermsMath with Mr. JAmericancore
2.3An Intro to Combining Like TermsMath with Mr. JAmericancore
2.3Simplifying Expressions by Combining Like TermsMath with Mr. JAmericancore
2.3All About Terms: Identifying, Counting and CombiningMath with Mr. JAmericanstretch
2.4Expanding BracketsCorbettmathsBritishcore
2.4The Distributive Property ExplainedMath with Mr. JAmericancore
2.4Simplifying Algebraic Expressions: Distributive Property and Like TermsMath with Mr. JAmericancore
2.4Expanding Two BracketsCorbettmathsBritishstretch
2.5Algebra Basics: Solving Basic Equations Part 1mathanticsAmericancore
2.5Algebra Basics: Solving Basic Equations Part 2mathanticsAmericancore
2.5Solving EquationsCorbettmathsBritishcore
2.5Solving One-Step Equations: A Step-By-Step GuideMath with Mr. JAmericancore
2.5Forming equationsCorbettmathsBritishstretch
2.5Solving Equations Using the Distributive PropertyMath with Mr. JAmericanstretch
2.6InequalitiesCorbettmathsBritishcore
2.6Inequalities on a number lineCorbettmathsBritishcore
2.6Solving inequalitiesCorbettmathsBritishstretch