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In This Unit of Study…

Division problems may be presented in a variety of ways. Students will need to interpret the quotient as an amount that can be partitioned into equal shares to find the number of groups or that can be shared equally to find the number of objects in each group. Students’ understanding of equal groups of objects in multiplication is a direct correlation to division. Ultimately, division is an unknown factor problem within a given context. Students will learn different strategies and models to gain a conceptual understanding of division, providing an opportunity for them to be able to describe a context in which a number of objects in each group or a number of groups can be expressed.

There are two types of division problems. One is partitive division—the quotient represents the unknown number in each group. The other is quotative (measurement) division—the quotient represents the unknown number of groups. Students learn how to interpret word problems to determine which type of division problem they are solving. Their conceptual understanding of multiplication will support their learning as they can apply multiplication fact knowledge to interpret and describe division as an unknown-factor problem within a context.

B.E.S.T. Benchmarks:

  • MA.3.NSO.2.2 Explore multiplication of two whole numbers with products from 0 to 144, and related division facts.
  • MA.3.AR.2.1 Restate a division problem as a missing factor problem using the relationship between multiplication and division.
  • MA.3.AR.2.2 Determine and explain whether an equation involving multiplication or division is true or false.

Key Concepts:

  • I can solve division problems and interpret quotients of numbers from 0 to 144 using different strategies.
  • I can use multiplication to determine a quotient. For example, to find 30 ÷ 3, I can think “What number times 3 is 30?”
  • I can determine whether an equation involving multiplication or division is true or false.
  • I can explain whether an equation involving multiplication or division is true or false.
  • I can make appropriate use of terminology (quotient, dividend, divisor, and factor) to describe a division problem.