Multiplication and Division

Trains -

Make a train with three carriages. Players each roll a die and identify the number shown on the die. In turn each player puts this number of teddies in each carriage and works out the total number of teddies on the train. The other players prove or challenge the total. The player with the greatest (or lowest) total each round earns one point. The first player to reach five points wins the game.

So Many Legs! -

Each students takes a handful of small plastic teddies (or other characters) then imagines, predicts and proves the total number of legs in the handful. Students explain their strategies to each other and discuss the fastest way to work out the total. Next predict and prove how many legs in total if you had one more teddy or one less teddy.

Multiple Collections -

Each student chooses a number between 2 and 5, then uses a bead string to make multiple groups of this chosen number of beads. After 30 - 60 seconds ask the students to stop and predict how many beads they have moved in total? Ask partners to agree or disagree and explain why, then check. What did you find/notice? Is there another/faster way to find the answer?

Five Fish Bowls -

Give students 16 small paper fish and 5 'fish bowls'. Present this problem: 16 fish need to be put into five fish bowls. How might they be organised? Discuss the different possibilities. Identify any solutions with the same number of fish in each bowl?

Teddies at 3 tables -

Give students 12 small plastic teddies and a mat with 3 'tables'. Present the problem: 12 teddies all sat down in a restaurant with 3 tables. How might they be sitting? Discuss the different possibilities. identify solutions with the same number of teddies at each table? How many possibilities are there? What if there were more teddies or more tables?

Dice Multiplication -

Players roll two dice (two different colours eg. one red die and white one). The red die indicates the numbers of groups to make, and the white dice indicates the number in each group. Use counters or other items to make a model of the situation. Each player predicts then proves the total number in their collection. The other players agree or challenge the solution. The player with the least items wins the round and earns a point. The first player to five points is the winner.

What Does the Picture Show? -

Show a collection of pictures or photos of objects organised into equal sized groups and arrays. Challenge the students to tell multiplication or division stories about the pictures.

Grow the Rows -

Each player rolls a 6 sided die and make a row with this many items eg. 4). Next they each roll their die again and imagine making an array with this new number of rows (eg. 6 rows of 4). Next each player predicts the total number of items needed to make the array and proves the solution to their partner.

Sharing 18 Pens -

I have 18 pencils. I want to share them out evenly. With how many people can I share them? Draw representations of the possibilities.

Four Times as Many -

Player A rolls a 6 sided die and makes a tower with 4 times as many blocks and works out how many blocks would be needed (eg.16) and proves this total

The Lions v The Magpies -

The Lions won three times as many matches in the season as The Magpies. How many matches did each team win? Represent each solution, including some challenging examples. Discuss your solutions and strategies.

Swimming Training -

The Blue Swimming Team swam four times as many laps as the Green Team. How many laps did each team swim in total? Represent the solutions, including some challenging solutions. Discuss your solutions, strategies and proof.

Stickers - I have 24 stickers to arrange into an array in a display book. How might the stickers be arranged? Draw representations of the possibilities. Discuss your solutions, strategies and proof with a partner.

Sharing Pencils -

At school some pencils were shared . Each person received 5 pencils. How many people were at school and how many pencils were there altogether? Represent the solution, including some challenging solutions. Discuss your solutions, strategies and proof with a partner.

Sharing 36 pencils -

I have 36 new pencils. I want to share them evenly between some friends and me. With how many people could I share them and how many pencils were distributed? Represent the possible solutions. Discuss your solutions and strategies.

Number Busting with Multiplication -

Think of a number between 70 and 90 (or 700 and 900). The challenge is to find as many ways to partition this quantity as possible in 4 minutes, but each solution must involve multiplication.

Target 100 -

Shuffle a pack of playing cards and form a 2 digit number. Each player works out the number they must multiply their 2 digit number by to make a number as close to possible to 100 and prove the solution to another player.

This activity can be extended to Target 1000 - students turn over three cards to make a 3 digit number and follow the same process as above.

Break 2000 -

Shuffle a pack of playing cards. All picture cards represent 0. All players turn over three cards and form a 3 digit number that cannot be changed. Each player turns over one more card and multiplies their 3 digit number by this new number. If a player's total is more than 2000 they earn a point.

Cycling Training -

The Blue Team cycled 20 times as many kilometres at training this week than the Green Team. How many kilometres did each team cycle in total? Represent the solutions. Discuss your solutions, strategies and proof with a partner.

Roll and Divide -

Choose a number between 100 and 300. Roll a 6 sided die and divide your number by this amount. Estimate then work out the answer. Check by modelling the solution.

Naught Nine (or Eight) -

Shuffle a pack of playing cards. All picture cards represent 0. All players turn over three cards and form a 3 digit number. Each player divides their number by 9 and then proves their solutions to others. The player with the lowest remainder wins.

Break 100 -

Shuffle a pack of playing cards. All picture cards are represent 0. All players turn over three cards and form a 3 digit number that cannot be changed. Each player turns over three cards and divides their 3 digit number by this new number. If a players total is less than 100 they earn 1 point for the round. The first player to get five points wins the game.