How Many Ways

In our “How Many Ways?” math journal activity, students are asked to choose a 1-digit, 2-digit or 3-digit number and then to show that number in as many ways as they can. Students are encouraged to choose a number that challenges them but is not so big that they get stuck.

To practice with your child at home, they will need a piece of paper, a pencil and a copy of the How Many Ways Strategy Chart that is shown below. Have them choose a number and circle it at the top of the page. Students can then show as many ways as they can to represent that number. I ask that students label each math sentence with the abbreviated form of the strategy from the chart below.

For example, your child chooses the number 40 and writes the number at the top of their page. They choose to first write an addition sentence that equals forty and uses familiar numbers (groups of ten) to write their math sentence. They then write the letter “A” next to their math sentence to identify they used an addition strategy.

30 + 10 = 40 (A)

Then they choose to use the repeated addition strategy and write:

10 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 40 (RA)

An addition pattern might look like this:

39 + 1 = 40 (+P)

38 + 2 = 40

37 + 3 = 40

Typically students will work on their How Many Ways activity for 15-20 minutes and will write as many DIFFERENT types of math sentences as they can. You can download a copy of the How Many Ways Helper below.