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Common Core Math6th GradeExpressions & Equations

6.EE.2: Expressions with Variables

Also written as 6.EE.A.2 and CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.EE.A.2 · Cluster: Apply and extend previous understandings of arithmetic to algebraic expressions.

Make a 6.EE.2 WorksheetAll 29 6th Grade Math Standards

The Official Wording

Write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for numbers.

Common Core State Standards, Grade 6, Expressions & Equations · Read it at the source · Checked October 14, 2026

What 6.EE.2 Means in Plain English

Sixth graders turn words into algebra: “subtract y from 5” becomes 5 - y (6.EE.2a). They name the parts, so 2(8 + 7) is a product of two factors, and the 8 + 7 inside is a single entity that is also a sum of two terms (6.EE.2b).

Then they substitute: with s = 1/2, the cube formulas give V = s³ = 1/8 and A = 6s² = 6 × 1/4 = 3/2, exponents before multiplication (6.EE.2c). This is where every later formula lives, and 7th grade rewrites these expressions with rational coefficients (7.EE.1).

6.EE.2 I Can Statements

  • I can write 5 - y for “subtract y from 5.”
  • I can name the terms, factors and coefficients in an expression.
  • I can evaluate an expression by substituting a value for the letter.

6.EE.2 Worked Example

A formula from geometry, a fraction for the side, and the order of operations deciding what happens first.

Problem

The surface area of a cube is A = 6s². Find A when s = 1/2.

Surface area of a cube with side 1/2
  1. Read the parts first. 6s² is a product of two factors: the coefficient 6 and s². Only s is squared.A = 6 × s²
  2. Substitute 1/2 for s. Keep parentheses so the exponent clearly belongs to the whole fraction.A = 6 × (1/2)²
  3. Exponent before multiplication: (1/2)² means 1/2 × 1/2.(1/2)² = 1/4
  4. Now multiply by the coefficient.A = 6 × 1/4 = 6/4 = 3/2
AnswerA = 3/2, or 1 1/2 square units

Check it: Six faces, each a 1/2 by 1/2 square with area 1/4: six quarters make 1 1/2. The formula and the picture agree.

Common Mistakes with 6.EE.2

Reversing the subtraction

“Subtract y from 5” written as y - 5

Try this: Read it as a story: start with 5, take y away, so 5 comes first. Test with y = 2: 5 - 2 = 3.

Squaring the coefficient with the variable

6s² with s = 1/2 becomes (6 × 1/2)² = 9

Try this: Underline what the exponent touches. Only s is squared, so square 1/2 first, then multiply by 6 to get 3/2.

Calling 3n a sum

“3n has two terms, 3 and n”

Try this: Sort by operation: terms are added, factors are multiplied. 3n is one term with two factors, and 3 is its coefficient.

Where 6.EE.2 Fits

Comes Before5.OA.2Write and interpret simple numerical expressions, like 2 × (8 + 7), without evaluating them.5.OA.1Evaluate expressions with parentheses in the right order.
Alongside6.EE.1Write and evaluate numerical expressions with whole-number exponents.6.EE.6Choose a variable and write an expression for a real problem.6.G.2Apply V = l w h and V = b h to find the volume of a prism.
Comes Next7.EE.1Add, subtract, factor and expand linear expressions with rational coefficients.7.EE.2Rewrite an expression in a different form to see the problem differently, like a + 0.05a = 1.05a.

Practice 6.EE.2

Math Worksheet GeneratorFree ToolSubstitute-and-evaluate pages: expressions with one or two letters, values given, exponents mixed in, answer key attached.Evaluate expressionsOrder of operationsAnswer key
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Word Problem GeneratorFree ToolShort situations to translate into expressions, the 6.EE.2a half: “3 less than twice a number” and friends.Write expressionsGrade 6
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Quick Check

  1. Write an expression for “7 more than twice a number n.”
  2. In 4(x + 9), what is the whole expression, and what is x + 9?
  3. Evaluate 3x² - 5 when x = 4.

6.EE.2: Other Names

6.EE.26.EE.A.2CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.EE.A.2

Common Core State Standards © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved. Official wording from the Common Core State Standards PDFs at corestandards.org, last checked October 14, 2026. The explanation, I can statements, example, mistakes and practice on this page are EMStudio’s own, written beside the official wording. They are not part of the standard.