Growth Point 7
Multiplication and Division Growth Points activities
The tasks listed on the following pages are rich tasks from various sources that may be used with multi-level groups or students who are working at a particular level.
7. Extending and applying multiplication and division
Can solve a range of multiplication and division problems (including multi-digit numbers) in practical contexts.
Telephone maths again
Materials: List of parent mobile phone numbers or made-up phone numbers.
Activity: Students write a phone numbers on a piece of paper. They then multiply the eight digits together, one by one to find the student who has the telephone number with the greatest total (e.g. 9 × 3 = 27, 27 × 4 = 108).
Discussion: Is there any number that you do not want to have in your telephone number when completing this activity. For instance, why would you not want 0? Does it matter where in the telephone number that it appears?
Substitute all 0s with 10. Does this make a difference to the person in the room who had the greatest total?
Related key ideas: Properties of multiplication.
What's in a name?
Materials: None.
Activity: Each student writes their first and last name on a piece of paper then total the number of vowels and the number of consonants in their name. For instance, a student called Kenneth Chau would have 4 vowels (e, e, a, u) and 7 consonants (k, n, n, t, h, c, h).
Each student starts with a total of 1000 points. They must then divide this by the number of vowels in their name (ignore remainders). They then divide this number by the number of consonants in their name. Compare with the rest of the class to find who has the greatest and lowest total.
Challenge: Does it make any difference to your total if you divide first by the number of consonants in your name and then by the number of vowels? Why or why not?
Related key ideas: Properties of division.
Variation: Repeat activity with street name, parents’ names, and so on. Can you see a pattern? Can you make some generalisations about dividing?
Nappy maths
Materials: None.
Activity: Assume that a baby/toddler wears nappies every day of its life until its third birthday. On average, it wears eight nappies a day in its first year, six nappies a day in its second year and five nappies a day in its third year.
How many nappies would this child wear by the time it turns three?
Imagine that in this family there were twin five-year-old boys, a six-year-old girl and a four-year-old girl.
How many nappies has that family worn in total?
If an average nappy cost 40 cents, how much money has this family spent on nappies in the last six years?
Related key ideas: Properties of multiplication.
Variation: Use the same process to work out ‘how many’ of other things/activities appropriate to the students, such as ‘How many times have you brushed your teeth?’ or ‘How many breakfasts/lunches/dinners have you eaten?’.