standard_description: Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set.
problem_activity: Activity
This activity offers four word problems. Depending on time constraints, you may have all students complete all four problems or assign a different problem to each group. The problems increase in difficulty. It is suggested that students create a visual display of one of the problems and do a gallery walk or presentation, but if time is short you may choose to just have students work in their workbooks or devices.
Launch
Keep students in the same groups. Either instruct students to complete all four problems or assign one problem to each group. If opting to have students do presentations or a gallery walk, distribute tools for making a visual display.
Give students 5–6 minutes quiet work time and partner discussion followed by a whole-class discussion or gallery walk.
Representation: Internalize Comprehension.
Represent the same information through different modalities by using diagrams, equations, or other drawings to depict the situation. If students are unsure where to begin, suggest that they draw a diagram to help organize the information provided. During the Synthesis, annotate drawings to illustrate connections between representations.
Supports accessibility for: Conceptual processing; Visual-spatial processing
Reading, Representing: MLR6 Three Reads.
Use this routine to support reading comprehension of the first problem without solving it for students. For the first read, read the situation to students, without revealing the final question. Ask students "What is this question about?" (A store is having a sale. Diego is buying shoes with a coupon). In the second read, ask students to name the important quantities (e.g., discount of 20%, coupon for
$
3 off of the regular price, Diego pays
$
18.40), and then create a diagram to represent the relationships among these quantities. After the third read, ask students to brainstorm possible strategies to answer the question, “What was the original price before the sale and without the coupon?” This will help students connect the language in the word problem and reasoning needed to solve percent problems.
Design Principle(s): Support sense-making; Maximize meta-awareness
Student Facing
A store is having a sale where all shoes are discounted by 20%. Diego has a coupon for
$
3 off of the regular price for one pair of shoes. The store first applies the coupon and then takes 20% off of the reduced price. If Diego pays
$
18.40 for a pair of shoes, what was their original price before the sale and without the coupon?
Before the sale, the store had 100 pairs of flip flops in stock. After selling some, they notice that
\(\frac35\)
of the flip flops they have left are blue. If the store has 39 pairs of blue flip flops, how many pairs of flip flops (any color) have they sold?
When the store had sold
\(\frac29\)
of the boots that were on display, they brought out another 34 pairs from the stock room. If that gave them 174 pairs of boots out, how many pairs were on display originally?
On the morning of the sale, the store donated 50 pairs of shoes to a homeless shelter. Then they sold 64% of their remaining inventory during the sale. If the store had 288 pairs after the donation and the sale, how many pairs of shoes did they have at the start?
Student Response
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Student Facing
Are you ready for more?
A coffee shop offers a special: 33% extra free or 33% off the regular price. Which offer is a better deal? Explain your reasoning.
Student Response
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Activity Synthesis
If students created a visual display and you opt to conduct a gallery walk, ask students to post their solutions. Distribute sticky notes and ask students to read others’ solutions, using the sticky notes to leave questions or comments. Give students a moment to review any questions or comments left on their display.
Invite any students who chose to draw a diagram to share; have the class agree or disagree with their diagrams and suggest any revisions. Next, invite students who did not try to draw a diagram to share strategies. Ask students about any difficulties they had creating the expressions and equations. Highlight equivalent expressions that represent the same quantity and different strategies for solving equations.


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