Bobby practices his math facts for 18 minutes after school. He practices \( x \) more minutes after dinner. Write an equation that represents the total number of minutes, \( y \), that Bobby practices math facts.

Bobby practices for 18 minutes after school and then adds \( x \) minutes after dinner. To find the total time he spends practicing math facts, you can represent this with the equation: \( y = 18 + x \). Here, \( y \) stands for the total practice time in minutes, while \( x \) represents the additional minutes he practices after dinner. Understanding equations like this is essential in daily life as they help in managing time effectively! For example, if Bobby knows he has a maximum of 30 minutes for practice, he can easily calculate how much time he has left for dinner or other activities by solving for \( x \) in his equation. This skill is super handy when planning any schedule!