Algebra does not have any direct connections with Halloween in and of itself. However, algebra can be indirectly applied to Halloween using word problems that employ Halloween terminology. For example, a word problem based on the equation "3x + 4 = 13" could be be stated as follows: "There are thirteen zombies intotal. If there are four in the kitchen, and the remainder are evenly spread out in three other rooms, how many zombies are there in each of the other rooms?"
Algebra and graphing go hand in hand. When students learn about algebra in middle school, they quickly learn about how to plot slope/y-intercept graphs on a Cartesian plane (a graph with an x and y axis). If your students are at the level when they are doing slope/y-intercept algebra, spruce up the activity by using graphing paper decorated with Halloween images. Find this graphing paper at www.math-drills.com, where they have plenty of Halloween-themed graphic paper for you to print. Using this paper, your students can draw all kinds of graphs for Halloween.
Algebra, like many other mathematical topics, involves work with equations and inequalities. In algebraic equations, students sometimes need to re-arrange equations so that the variable is isolated on one side of the equal sign, making it easier to determine the value of the variable. Allow students to do these equations and other simple algebraic operations on worksheets filled with Halloween-themed images. At mathpower.com, students are invited to attempt multiplication on a page filled with all sorts of spooky sounds and images.
Factoring is one topic that is fairly unique to algebra. When you factor, you break down an algebraic statement in braces (i.e. (x+y)(x+y)) and turn it into a statement where all the individual elements are clearly visible. As with equations, make factoring exercises much more interesting in October by adding Halloween imagery to the worksheet. Your students will be thinking of zombies and jack o' lanterns as they expand the figures inside the brackets. To make this exercise even more Halloween-like, put your factoring problems on the same sheet with the word problems, making the activity sheet spookier in appearance as well as in content.