Interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison, e.g., interpret 35 = 5 × 7 as a statement that 35 is 5 times as many as 7 and 7 times as many as 5. Represent verbal statements of multiplicative comparisons as multiplication equations.

Students are able to…

  • Identifying multiplicative situations; which factor is being multiplied and which factor is telling how many times.
  • Write statements and equations with multiplicative comparisons.

 

Students are able to…because teachers…

  • Deliver ample opportunities for students to answer multiplicative comparison situations including creating models.
  • Strengthen multiplicative comparison vocabulary and give opportunities to write equations from multiplicative comparison situations.

 

Questions to ask students

  • Can you write a multiplicative comparison problem for 6 × 3 = 18
    • Sample answer that indicates understanding: Mufasa has 6 gumballs. Simba has 3 times as many gumballs as Simba. How many gumballs does Simba have? 18 represents the number of gumballs Simba has.
  • Sample question: Andrew has 5 marbles. Karen has 6 times as many. Write an equation to represent the situation.
    • Sample answer that indicates understanding: Students with a deep understanding of multiplicative comparison should be able to match the appropriate equation of 6×5= __ to the problem.
  • How does the equation 5 x 6 = 30 relate to the problem?
    • Sample answer that indicates understanding:  The 5 represents the number of marbles Andrew has.  The 6 represents how many times as many marbles Karen has.  30 represents the number marbles Karen has.

FSA Notes

Cognitive Complexity Level:  1-Recall

Achievement Level Descriptors

2-[intentionally left blank]

3-recognizes that any two factors and their product can be read as a comparison; represents those comparisons as equations

4-creates a context for a multiplicative comparison problem given an equation

5-[intentionally left blank]

 

Assessment Limits:

Items may not require students to solve for unknown factors that exceed 10 × 10 multiplication facts.
Item must include a verbal description of an equation or a multiplication equation.
Multiplication situations must be a comparison (e.g., times as many).

 

Additional Resources:

Additional in depth content knowledge

Blog Post

Video: Identifying multiplicative comparison

Khan Academy Comparisons

 

Sample Formative Assessment Tasks:

Resources/Tasks to Help Your Child at Home:

Use real world examples of multiplicative comparison problems, then extend to have your child record equations and solve. Remind them to reflect to make sure the answer is reasonable and they used the correct part of the bar model or equation to answer the problem.

  • Compare how many times more one child has than the other with candy or cereal. One child has 2 pieces, the other has 6. 2 x 3 = 6 or 6 ÷ 2 = 3. So they have 3 times as much candy.

Khan Academy: Comparing With Multiplication, Money https://goo.gl/xRmmYq

Khan Academy: Comparing With Multiplication, Magic https://goo.gl/yCXmMi