Asymmetric Problem Situations:
Equal Groups and Multiplicative Comparisons
Explore the summary category of Asymmetric problem situations, including grade level content for students in grades 4-6.
Mathematizing Story Map (Asymmetric x/÷ situations)
Asymmetric Multiplication/Division Problem Situations (Powerpoint slides)
Asymmetric Multiplication/Division Problem Situations (Google slides)
Asymmetric problem situations are the kinds of problems student learn when the first learn multiplication and division.
Counting groups.
Counting how many objects are in each group.
Even the multiplicative comparison version of the asymmetric problem situation has factors doing two different things: one factor is how many “times as many?” while the other answers the question: “How much is in each group?”
Click here to access the Mathematizing Story Map.
Students may be challenged when the Asymmetric problem situation is structured so that the original value is unknown or when the scale factor itself isn’t known.
The Mathematizing Story Map helps students visually map the relationship in the problem situation and rely on reasoning strategies that they developed while doing whole number operations.
More Mathematizing Story Maps Coming Soon!
Be sure to check out the page summarizing Symmetric problem situations!
Join us next week as we explore Equalize problems, a bonus new category of problem situation!
