Multiplicative Comparison Word Problems

Description

Students begin in Topic A by investigating the formulas for area and perimeter. They then solve multiplicative comparison problems including the language of times as much as with a focus on problems using area and perimeter as a context (e.g., “A field is 9 feet wide. It is 4 times as long as it is wide. What is the perimeter of the field?”). Students create diagrams to represent these problems as well as write equations with symbols for the unknown quantities (4.OA.1). This is foundational for understanding multiplication as scaling in Grade 5 and sets the stage for proportional reasoning in Grade 6. This Grade 4 module, beginning with area and perimeter, allows for new and interesting word problems as students learn to calculate with larger numbers and interpret more complex problems (4.OA.2, 4.OA.3, 4.MD.3).