few_shots: Example 1:
Problem/activity:
You’re mixing ingredients for cookies. The recipe says to combine 6 tablespoons, or ¾ stick, of butter with 1 cup of sugar. You accidentally mix in a whole stick of butter (8 tablespoons) with the cup of sugar. How can you fix this?


Mathematical concept/skill options: 
A. Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.
B. Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems.


Thought: This problem focuses on the ratio between two ingredients. Students do not have to analyze proportional relationships in-depth, which is reserved for a higher grade level, but rather use ratios to find missing values.
Answer: B

Example 2:
Problem/activity:
For each pair of numbers, determine if the values are equivalent. Explain your reasoning for each one.
a.
$$-0.25$$
and
$$\frac{1}{-4}$$
b.
$$-\left ( \frac{1}{4} \right )$$
and
$$\frac{-1}{-4}$$
c.
$$\frac{-1}{4}$$
and
$$-\frac{1}{4}$$


Mathematical concept/skill options: 
A. Apply and extend previous understandings of operations with fractions to add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers.
B. Reason quantitatively and use units to solve problems.
C. Apply and extend previous understandings of numbers to the system of rational numbers.
D. Represent complex numbers and their operations on the complex plane.
E. Perform arithmetic operations with complex numbers.
F. Compute fluently with multi-digit numbers and find common factors and multiples.
G. Represent and model with vector quantities.
H. Perform operations on vectors.
I. Use properties of rational and irrational numbers.
J. Use complex numbers in polynomial identities and equations.
K. Extend the properties of exponents to rational exponents.
L. Know that there are numbers that are not rational, and approximate them by rational numbers.
M. Perform operations on matrices and use matrices in applications.
N. Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division to divide fractions by fractions.


Thought: This problem involves understanding fractions, multiplication, and division.
Answer: A

Example 3:
Problem/activity:
Problem 1
The table below contains single equations in a single variable, single equations in two variables, and pairs of simultaneous equations in two variables. Check the appropriate box to show whether there is no solution, exactly 1 solution, or if there is an infinite number of solutions.
|                                                          | **           No solution          ** | **           Exactly 1 solution          ** | **           Infinite number of solutions          ** |
|----------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
|                       $${9=4x+7}$$                       |                                      |                                             |                                                       |
|                       $${y=3y+5}$$                       |                                      |                                             |                                                       |
|                    $${y={x\over2}}$$                     |                                      |                                             |                                                       |
|                     $${3x+6y-9=0}$$                      |                                      |                                             |                                                       |
|    $${x=y}$$                        $${1.25x=1.25y}$$    |                                      |                                             |                                                       |
| $${9.9=6x+8y}$$                        $${9x=2.5y-8.8}$$ |                                      |                                             |                                                       |
| $${11x-2y=1.5}$$                        $${11x-2y=2.5}$$ |                                      |                                             |                                                       |
Problem 2
Kim has a small container and a large container as shown.
[IMG]
It takes 16 of the small containers to fill the large container. Three small containers leave 1.95 gallons of space in the big container.
What is the size of each of the two containers?


Mathematical concept/skill options: 
A. Write expressions in equivalent forms to solve problems.
B. Understand properties of multiplication and the relationship between multiplication and division.
C. Interpret the structure of expressions.
D. Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic expressions and equations.
E. Use polynomial identities to solve problems.
F. Understand the relationship between zeros and factors of polynomials.
G. Write and interpret numerical expressions.
H. Work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication.
I. Perform arithmetic operations on polynomials.
J. Create equations that describe numbers or relationships
K. Generate and analyze patterns.
L. Analyze and solve linear equations and pairs of simultaneous linear equations.
M. Understand solving equations as a process of reasoning and explain the reasoning.
N. Apply and extend previous understandings of arithmetic to algebraic expressions.
O. Rewrite rational expressions.
P. Represent and solve problems involving multiplication and division.
Q. Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.
R. Reason about and solve one-variable equations and inequalities.
S. Understand and apply properties of operations and the relationship between addition and subtraction.
T. Understand the connections between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations.
U. Multiply and divide within 100.
V. Gain familiarity with factors and multiples.
W. Use the four operations with whole numbers to solve problems.
X. Work with addition and subtraction equations.
Y. Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.
Z. Solve problems involving the four operations, and identify and explain patterns in arithmetic.
AA. Solve equations and inequalities in one variable.
AB. Solve systems of equations.
AC. Represent and analyze quantitative relationships between dependent and independent variables.
AD. Work with radicals and integer exponents.
AE. Represent and solve equations and inequalities graphically.
AF. Analyze patterns and relationships.
AG. Use properties of operations to generate equivalent expressions.
AH. Add and subtract within 20.


Thought: This set of problems involves solving linear equations and pairs of linear equations.
Answer: L

Now, assign the following problem or activity to one or more relevant mathematical concepts/skills it teaches.
shot_info: fl_problem_000972

6

fl_problem_001097

7

fl_problem_001392

8
options: Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division to multiply and divide fractions.

Extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering.
Grade 4 expectations in this domain are limited to fractions with denominators 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 100.

Use equivalent fractions as a strategy to add and subtract fractions.

Build fractions from unit fractions by applying and extending previous understandings of operations on whole numbers.
Grade 4 expectations in this domain are limited to fractions with denominators 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 100.

Understand decimal notation for fractions, and compare decimal fractions.
Grade 4 expectations in this domain are limited to fractions with denominators 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 100.

Develop Understanding of fractions as numbers.
Grade 3 expectations in this domain are limited to fractions with denominators 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8.
problem_activity: Narrative
The purpose of this activity is for students to solve problems about dividing a whole number by a unit fraction in a way that makes sense to them. The context of quilt making is used so students can visualize a strip of paper that is a whole number length being cut into fractional sized pieces. As students describe how the problems are similar and different, listen for the authentic language they use to describe division. The paper strip, or tape, is a helpful diagram to use when dividing a whole number by a unit fraction because students recognize important relationships between the divisor, dividend, and quotient (MP7). For example, if the length of the strip stays the same, but the size of the piece gets smaller, then the number of pieces will get bigger.
This activity uses
MLR2 Collect and Display.
Advances: Conversing, Reading, Writing.
Launch
Groups of 2
Refer to the picture from the warm up.
“If the blue strip of fabric under the woman’s chin is 1 meter long, about how long is the short gray strip next to it?” (
\(\frac{1}{6}\)
meter)
Activity
1–2 minutes: independent think time
8–10 minutes: partner work time
MLR2 Collect and Display
Circulate, listen for, and collect the language students use to describe what was the same and different about the strategies they used to determine the number of pieces of paper for each color. Listen for:
The size of the piece changed.
The pieces were shorter.
There were more pieces.
I made more cuts.
Record students’ words and phrases on a visual display and update it throughout the lesson.
Student Facing
Below are diagrams that show strips of different colored paper. Each strip is 2 feet long. The paper strips will be cut into different sized pieces.
The red strip will be cut into pieces that are
\(\frac{1}{2}\)
foot long. How many pieces will there be?
[IMG]
The green strip will be cut into pieces that are
\(\frac{1}{3}\)
foot long. How many pieces will there be?
[IMG]
The yellow strip will be cut into pieces that are
\(\frac{1}{4}\)
foot long. How many pieces will there be?
[IMG]
Describe what was the same about the problems you solved. Describe what was different.
Student Response
Teachers with a valid work email address can
click here to register or sign in
for free access to Student Response.
Advancing Student Thinking
Students may not immediately make a connection with the situation and division, since the number of pieces that results (the quotient) is greater than the number of feet being divided (the dividend). Consider asking, “How does this situation represent division?” Allow students to recognize that the cuts are similar to partitions in a diagram, or sharing. They may also recognize that the quotient represents the number of groups, while the fraction being divided is the size of each group. Have them write a division equation for each situation, if it helps. They will write division equations in the next activity.
Activity Synthesis
“Are there any other words or phrases that are important to include on our display?”
As students share responses, update the display by adding (or replacing) language, diagrams, or annotations.
Remind students to borrow language from the display as needed.
Display:
\(2 \div \frac {1}{2} = 4\)
\(2 \div \frac {1}{3} = 6\)
\(2 \div \frac {1}{4} = 8\)
“How do these equations represent the problems about the paper strips?” (The 2 is for 2 feet of paper, and the fractions show the size of the pieces that the paper is being cut into. The 4, 6, and 8 are the number of pieces of each color of paper.)


correct_option_index: 0