Solving Math Stories - Attend to Precision

Mr. Jonas inflates 108 balloons and ties them into 6 bunches. He wants to put the same number of balloons into each bunch.

What do you know based on this math story?

• Mr. Jonas is having a party

• The total number of balloons Mr. Jonas has.

• What Mr. Jonas will use the balloons for.

• He will have fewer than 6 bunches when he is finished.

Answer explanation

Remember to visualize the story. Be sure to read carefully and think about the details.

Tags

CCSS.3.OA.A.3

Makayla is solving this math story.

There are 17 students in Earth Club. Each student recycles 35 batteries.

What is one way she can find the answer?

• (10 x 35) + (7 x 35)

• 17 + 35

• (10 x 30) x (7 x 5)

Answer explanation

The distributive property is one way to solve a multiplication problem. Remember, you can only break apart on of the numbers at a time.

Like this...

17 = 10 + 7

So 17 x 35 could be

(10 x 35) and (7 x 35)

Tags

CCSS.4.NBT.B.5

There are 17 students in Earth Club. Each student recycles 35 batteries.

ABOUT how many batteries did the students recycle?

What is a good estimate for this story?

• 20 x 40 = 80

• 15 x 30 = 400

• 20 x 35 = 700

• 10 x 40 = 400

Answer explanation

When you estimate, do you need to solve for the exact answer first?? NOPE!!

Tags

CCSS.4.NBT.B.5

Marshall rides his bike the same distance every day. He rides 105 miles in one week.

How many miles does Marshall ride each day?

To solve this problem, you need to divide. But how do you know it's division?

Answer explanation

Is there a total amount already in the story?

Yes. It's 105 miles.

Is that amount being split up equally?

Yes, because he rides the same number each day.

Tags

CCSS.3.OA.A.2

At a carnival, 6 friends earn 257 total tickets by playing carnival games. They want to split the tickets so each friend gets the same amount.

How many more tickets do they need to earn?

This story will have an answer with a remainder. What will you do with the answer and remainder to answer the question in the story?

• The quotient without the remainder is the answer to the question

• The remainder is the answer to the question

• Use the remainder and subtract from the number of friends to answer the question

• Hopefully the answer won't really have a remainder

Answer explanation

You have to really understand what the story is asking to know what to do with the answer.

Visualize. Draw a model to help you understand it.

Tags

CCSS.5.NBT.B.6

CCSS.6.NS.B.2

Mrs. Smith is making flower arrangements. She has 442 roses. If she puts 12 roses in each vase, how many vases can she fill?

How do you know if this problem is a multiplication or division problem?

Tags

CCSS.3.OA.D.8

• 4

• 40

• 400

• 0.4

Tags

CCSS.5.NBT.B.6

CCSS.6.NS.B.2

What is the best estimate for this story?

Mrs. Smith is filling vases with 472 roses. She puts 12 in each vase. About how many can she put in each vase?

• 500 x 12 = 6,000

At lunch, 126 fifth graders sit at tables. Each table seats 14 students. How many tables are needed to seat all of the students?

When dividing, can you start with 10 tables? Why or why not?

• No, because that would be over the number of students.

• No, because that would be too few students.

• Yes, because that's only 24 students.

• Yes, because 10 is a friendly number.

Answer explanation

Get a piece of paper and set this problem up to solve. Try it. What did you get?

Tags

CCSS.5.NBT.B.6

CCSS.6.NS.B.2

• 6 x 7 = 42,

  so 6 x 70 = 420

• 6 x 8 = 42

  so 6 x 80 = 420

• 6 x 6 = 36

  so 6 x 60 = 420

• 6 x 7 = 42

  so 60 x 70 = 420

Tags

CCSS.4.NBT.B.6