LEVEL G · MATH · PARENT GUIDE
From fractions to algebra: making the leap
By the Kumon Answer Book Editorial TeamLast updated:
A parent’s guide to signed numbers, fractions, and those first letters.
12+14
What does this guide cover?
- Signed number arithmetic (adding, subtracting, multiplying negative numbers)
- Simplifying algebraic expressions
- One-step equations
- Fraction operations with negative signs attached
How should we work through these examples?
Let your child try first, then walk through the steps together. Original examples in the style of the level, written for parents — never reproduced worksheets. These pair with the Math Level G: Positive/Negative Numbers & Algebra Intro parent guide for the full level picture.
EXAMPLE 01A parent walkthrough
-3/4 + 1/2
Find a common denominator: 4. Rewrite 1/2 as 2/4.
Now the signs decide: -3/4 + 2/4 = -1/4.
Answer: -1/4.
FINAL ANSWER
-1/4
EXAMPLE 02A parent walkthrough
Solve: x - 7 = -3
Do the same to both sides: add 7.
x = -3 + 7
x = 4.
FINAL ANSWER
x = 4
EXAMPLE 03A parent walkthrough
Simplify: 5a - 2a + 3
Combine like terms first: 5a - 2a = 3a.
The constant 3 has no partner — it stays separate.
3a + 3.
FINAL ANSWER
3a + 3
Which mistakes should parents watch for?
- Sign errors — especially double negatives like -(-3)
- Forgetting the common denominator before adding fractions
- Dropping the variable when simplifying (writing 3 instead of 3a)