standard_description: Interpret expressions that represent a quantity in terms of its context.
problem_activity: Narrative
The purpose of this activity is for students to write equations for multiplication situations and diagrams using a symbol for the unknown number. When students write an equation to represent a situation, including a symbol for the unknown number, they model a situation with mathematics (MP4).
Students find an unknown factor or unknown product in multiplication problems. In this task, the unknown factor diagrams and situations only include the “how many groups” problem type and the factors 2, 5, and 10. This sets students up to skip-count to find the unknown number.
This problem type will be revisited extensively in future lessons and will be related to division. It is not necessary to make the connection to division now. In the synthesis students explain how the equations they wrote represent the diagram or situation.
Representation: Internalize Comprehension.
Synthesis: Invite students to identify which details were important or most useful to pay attention to. Display the sentence frame, “The next time I write an equation with an unknown number, I will . . . .“
Supports accessibility for: Visual-Spatial Processing
Launch
Groups of 2
Activity
“Now you will practice writing your own equations with a symbol for the unknown.”
2–3 minutes: independent work time
“Share your equations with your partner. Discuss how you know each equation matches the diagram or situation.”
2–3 minutes: partner discussion
Have a whole-class discussion focused on how the equations match the different representations.
Consider asking:
“How did you use the representations to write an equation with a symbol for the unknown?” (I looked for what was missing in the diagram. I thought about the situation to figure out if it was the number in each group, the number of groups, or the total that was missing.)
“Now find the missing number in each equation and write a new equation that includes the solution.”
3–5 minutes: partner work time
Student Facing
Write an equation to represent each diagram or situation. Use a symbol for the unknown. Be prepared to share your reasoning.
Find the number that makes each equation true. Rewrite the equation with the solution.
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Student Response
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Advancing Student Thinking
If students write an equation without a symbol for the unknown number, consider asking:
“How does your equation represent the diagram (or situation)?”
“How could you show the number that was unknown with a symbol?”
Activity Synthesis
“What strategies did you use to find the unknown numbers?” (I counted by 2 to get the total. I counted by different numbers until I found a number that gave me the product.)
“How did each equation change as you found the unknown number?” (The symbol was replaced with the number.)


aligns: no