MSTAR Practice Worksheet

Lesson 6-8: Generate Equivalent Expressions

Grade 6 Mathematics · Standard 6.AT.7

Name: Date:

These are MSTAR-style questions written for this curriculum to rehearse the format. They are not official Maryland assessment items. MSTAR — Maryland's new state test, first given in spring 2027 — uses the same kinds of questions you see here: selected response, select-all, two-part evidence questions, and written responses.

Part A — Skills Check

Warm up with the lesson's core skills — one best answer each.

Question 1Selected response · 1 point

Which property is shown? 5 + 13 = 13 + 5

ACommutative Property
BAssociative Property
CIdentity Property
DDistributive Property

Question 2Selected response · 1 point

Which property is shown? (6 × 3) × 2 = 6 × (3 × 2)

ACommutative Property
BIdentity Property
CAssociative Property
DDistributive Property

Question 3Selected response · 1 point

Which property is shown? 47 + 0 = 47

ACommutative Property
BAssociative Property
CDistributive Property
DIdentity Property

Question 4Selected response · 1 point

Which property lets you rearrange 8 × 5 to 5 × 8?

AAssociative Property
BIdentity Property
CDistributive Property
DCommutative Property

Question 5Selected response · 1 point

Track 2 on the playlist plays 5(7 + 2) = 5 × 7 + 5 × 2. Which property is this?

ACommutative Property
BAssociative Property
CIdentity Property
DDistributive Property

Question 6Selected response · 1 point

Track 3 plays (7 + 3) + 5 = 7 + (3 + 5). Only the parentheses moved. Which property is this?

ACommutative Property
BDistributive Property
CAssociative Property
DIdentity Property

Part B — Test-Format Questions

These match the state test's formats: two-part questions, select-all, and written responses.

Question 7Two-part question

Part A

Which property of operations is shown by the equation (7 + 4) + 6 = 7 + (4 + 6)?

Fill in the bubble next to the one best answer.

ACommutative Property of Addition
BIdentity Property of Addition
CDistributive Property
DAssociative Property of Addition

Part B

Answer Part A before Part B — Part B asks about your reasoning.

Which reasoning shows why your answer to Part A is correct?

AThe addends appear in a different order on the two sides, which is the commutative property.
BAdding zero leaves a number unchanged, which is the identity property.
CA factor outside the parentheses is multiplied by each term inside, which is the distributive property.
DThe addends appear in the same order on both sides, but the parentheses move. Changing the grouping without changing the sum is the associative property, and both sides equal 17.

Question 8Written response · 2 points

Type II Reasoning: Regrouping a Subtraction

Jamal wrote (20 − 8) − 5 = 20 − (8 − 5). He said the associative property lets him move the parentheses anywhere, so both sides must have the same value of 7.

Explain Jamal's misconception and give the correct value of each side.

Write your answer in complete sentences. Show or explain your mathematical thinking.

Part C — Show Your Thinking

Answer in writing, the way the state test's constructed responses work.

Question 9Written response · 2 points

Explain why the commutative property works for addition and multiplication but NOT for subtraction and division. Give a specific number example for each operation to prove your point.

Write your answer in complete sentences. Show or explain your mathematical thinking.