Lesson 4 Solve Multiplicative Comparison Problems with Large Numbers

    • Let’s represent and solve multiplicative comparison problems with larger numbers.

Warm-up Notice and Wonder: Too Many Times More?

What do you notice? What do you wonder?

photograph of student work.

Activity 1 A New Kind of Diagram

Problem 1

Mai and Andre compare the number of pages they read on the first day of the reading competition.

diagram. two rectangles.

What would be a good estimate for the number of pages Andre read?

Problem 2

The diagram shows the pages Lin and Kiran read on one day of the reading competition.

diagram. two rectangles.
  1. Complete the statement and explain how you know.

    • Kiran read times as many pages as Lin.

  2. Write a multiplication equation that compares the pages read by Lin and Kiran.

  3. How many total pages did Kiran read?

Problem 3

Jada read some pages. Han read 60 pages altogether.​​​​​​

diagram. two rectangles.
  1. How many times as many pages did Han read? Explain how you know.

  2. Write a multiplication equation to compare the pages read by Han and Jada. Use a symbol to represent the unknown.

  3. How many pages did Jada read? Explain how you know.

Problem 4

Elena read 72 pages. Clare read 9 pages.

diagram. two rectangles.
  1. How is this diagram different from the earlier diagrams?

  2. Write a multiplication equation to compare the pages read by Elena and Clare. Use a symbol to represent the unknown.

  3. How many times as many pages does Elena read as Clare?

Activity 2 Who Read More?

For each situation:

  • Write an equation to represent the situation. Use a symbol to represent the unknown. 

  • Draw a diagram to show the comparison.

  • Answer the question about the situation.

Problem 1

Diego read 8 times as many books as Lin read. Lin read 7 books.

  1. Equation:

  2. Diagram:

  3. How many books did Diego read?

Problem 2

Tyler has some books. Clare has 72 books, which is 12 times as many books as Tyler has.

  1. Equation:

  2. Diagram:

  3. How many books does Tyler have?

Problem 3

Noah read 13 books. Elena read 130 books.

  1. Equation:

  2. Diagram:

  3. Complete the statement:

    read times as many books as read.

Practice Problem

Problem 1

Diego has 8 songs on his playlist. Mai has 3 times as many songs as Diego.

  1. Write an equation that represents the situation.

  2. Draw a diagram that represents the situation.

  3. Explain how the diagram and equation are related.

  4. How many songs are on Mai’s playlist?