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Algebra is part of maths where we use letters to represent unknown values or values that can change.

Maths questions can be asked in many ways:

• As a word problem, eg “You want to buy jeans that cost twenty-six pounds, and a pair of trainers for fifty-four pounds. How much will they cost in total?"
• In simple words, eg “What is 26 plus 54?”
• Using numbers, eg 26 + 54 =  or 26 + 54 = ?

They all mean the same thing.

The word problem is longest. It is the question that gives the most information about why you want to find an answer.

Writing the question in simple words takes some information away. It lets you concentrate more on the numbers and what you are doing with them.

Writing the question using numbers and mathematical symbols like + and = is the shortest way of setting out the question.

A ? or an empty box can be used to show what you need to find out.

Using letters for missing values

Algebra is a way of writing questions using letters instead of a question mark or an empty box to show a missing value, like this:

26 + 54 = x (x is the missing value)

26 + 54 = x

80 = x

We would normally turn this round to write the answer as x = 80.