Multiplication and division – Sharing stickers

Students develop efficient strategies for numerical calculation.

         
Practical Build and make Resource required Teacher observation Individual

Number – multiplication and division

  • uses a range of mental strategies and concrete materials for division MA1-6NA
  • describes mathematical situations and methods using everyday and some mathematical language, actions, materials, diagrams and symbols MA1-1WM

Content

Number and algebra

Students develop efficient strategies for numerical calculation.

Model division by sharing a collection of objects equally into a given number of groups to determine how many are in each group, for example, determine the number in each group when 10 objects are shared between two people

National Numeracy Learning Progression Mapping to the NSW mathematics syllabus

When working towards the outcome MA1-6NA the sub-elements (and levels) of Additive strategies (AdS6), Multiplicative strategies (MuS4-MuS5), Number patterns and algebraic thinking (NPA5) and Interpreting fractions (InF1) describe observable behaviours that can aid teachers in making evidence-based decisions about student development and future learning.

Materials

Image: 2 rows of 10

Teacher instructions

The purpose of this task is to gauge students’ understanding of multiplication and division concepts such as:

  • recognise patterns
  • describe pattern relationships
  • model division by sharing a collection of objects into groups
  • rhythmic or skip counting
  • the use of equal groups of objects.

Teacher reads the question and suggestions to the student and then covers the image. If the student cannot answer and needs the visual support, then the image is uncovered. Teacher observes the student's response, looking for the strategy that the student is using (dealing counters one at a time, moving groups of counters to make 5 groups, using the image to make 5 groups, and similar).

20 stickers are shared equally between 5 students. How many stickers will each student get?

You may use the counters to help you answer the question.

How did you work out your answer? How do you know your answer is correct?

This is an example of sharing or partitive division – How many in each group?

Student instructions

Read the question to the student; 20 stickers are shared equally between 5 students. How many stickers will each student get? You may use the pictures below or counters to show how you worked it out.

Where to next?

Represent division as grouping into equal sets and solve simple problems using these representations (ACMNA032)

  • model division by sharing a collection of objects equally into a given number of rows or columns in an array,
  • describe the part left over when a collection cannot be shared equally into a given number of groups/rows/columns (Communicating, Problem Solving, Reasoning)

Model division by sharing a collection of objects into groups of a given size, and by arranging it into rows or columns of a given size in an array, for example, determine the number of columns in an array when 20 objects are arranged into rows of four

  • describe the part left over when a collection cannot be distributed equally using the given group, row or column size, for example, when 14 objects are arranged into rows of five, there are two rows of five and four objects left over (Communicating, Problem Solving, Reasoning)

Please note:

Syllabus outcomes and content descriptors from Mathematics K-10 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2012

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