A focused Grade 4 learning session for Multiplicative Comparison Word Problems using visual models, worked examples, strategy guidance, and a short mastery check.
Student goal: I can solve a multiplicative-comparison word problem and explain my equation.
Multiplicative Comparison Word Problems means choosing a model, naming what each number means, and explaining the strategy.
Question: Elena has \(2\) books. Her friend has \(3\) times as many books. How many books does her friend have?
Why it works: The bar model shows the friend's bar split into \(3\) equal pieces, each the size of Elena's \(2\) books. So we multiply: \(3 \times 2 = 6\) books.
Answer: \(6\)
Question: Priya picked \(5\) apples. Her sister picked \(3\) times as many apples. How many apples did her sister pick?
Answer: \(15\)
Question: Jasmine has \(20\) stickers. Jasmine has \(4\) times as many stickers as her friend. How many stickers does her friend have?
Answer: \(5\)
Question: Chen has \(4\) boxes of pencils. Each box has the same number of pencils. If Chen has \(32\) pencils total, how many pencils are in each box?
Why it works: Equal groups of pencils make a multiplication picture: \(4 \times ? = 32\). To find the size of each group, divide: \(32 \div 4 = 8\) pencils per box.
Answer: \(8\)
Multiplicative Comparison Word Problems becomes easier when students connect the question to a model, use clear steps, and explain why the answer fits.
Understand the model before choosing the operation.
Use scratch paper. The explanation matters more than simply seeing whether the choice is correct.
Jada has \(3\) stickers. Her brother has \(5\) times as many stickers. How many stickers does her brother have?
Answer D: \(15\)
"\(5\) times as many" is a multiplication signal. Her brother has \(5\) groups of Jada's \(3\) stickers: \(5 \times 3 = 15\) stickers.
Sam has \(4\) trading cards. Maya has \(6\) times as many trading cards as Sam. How many trading cards does Maya have?
Answer D: \(24\)
"\(6\) times as many" tells us to multiply. Maya has \(6\) groups of Sam's \(4\) cards: \(6 \times 4 = 24\) trading cards.
Elena has \(2\) books. Her friend has \(3\) times as many books. How many books does her friend have?
Answer D: \(6\)
The bar model shows the friend's bar split into \(3\) equal pieces, each the size of Elena's \(2\) books. So we multiply: \(3 \times 2 = 6\) books.
Noah has \(7\) crayons. His sister has \(2\) times as many crayons as Noah. How many crayons does his sister have?
Answer D: \(14\)
"\(2\) times as many" is a multiplication clue. Noah's sister has \(2\) groups of \(7\) crayons: \(2 \times 7 = 14\) crayons.
Aisha has \(5\) pet fish. Kai has \(4\) times as many fish as Aisha. How many fish does Kai have?
Answer D: \(20\)
"\(4\) times as many" is a multiplication signal. Kai has \(4\) groups of Aisha's \(5\) fish: \(4 \times 5 = 20\) fish.
Miguel has \(6\) toy cars. Diego has \(2\) times as many toy cars. How many cars does Diego have?
Answer D: \(12\)
The bar model shows Diego's bar is twice as long as Miguel's---\(2\) groups of \(6\). So multiply: \(2 \times 6 = 12\) cars.
Lily had \(3\) sticker sheets. Her grandmother gave her \(4\) times as many sticker sheets as Lily already had. How many sticker sheets does Lily have in all?
Answer D: \(15\)
Two steps! Step 1: Grandma gave Lily \(4 \times 3 = 12\) more sheets. Step 2: Add what Lily already had: \(3 + 12 = 15\) sheets in all.
Tom has \(8\) red crayons. He has \(3\) times as many blue crayons as red crayons. How many blue crayons does Tom have?
Answer D: \(24\)
"\(3\) times as many" is a multiplication clue. Tom has \(3\) groups of \(8\) crayons: \(3 \times 8 = 24\) blue crayons.
Zoe's basketball team scored \(9\) points in the first quarter. In the second quarter, they scored \(2\) times as many points. How many points did they score in the second quarter?
Answer D: \(18\)
"\(2\) times as many" means multiply. The team scored \(2 \times 9 = 18\) points in the second quarter.
Priya picked \(5\) apples. Her sister picked \(3\) times as many apples. How many apples did her sister pick?
Answer D: \(15\)
The counter diagram shows \(3\) rows of \(5\) apples---that's "\(3\) times as many." Multiply: \(3 \times 5 = 15\) apples.
Chen has \(4\) boxes of pencils. Each box has the same number of pencils. If Chen has \(32\) pencils total, how many pencils are in each box?
Answer D: \(8\)
Equal groups of pencils make a multiplication picture: \(4 \times ? = 32\). To find the size of each group, divide: \(32 \div 4 = 8\) pencils per box.
