Problem Solving Prompts
Learning Goals:
- Estimate and record the mass of objects
- Determine the missing numbers in equations
- Investigate variables as unknown quantities
The Challenge:
Liu came across some sports equipment when she was cleaning up and thought it might be fun to weigh some of it.
She recorded the following measurements:
What is the individual mass of each ball?
Imagine Liu was packing a gym bag containing three baseballs, a soccer ball, and two basketballs. What would be the total mass of the equipment? What would this mass be in kilograms?
Questions and Prompts to Support your Child:
- Which type of ball did you figure out the mass of first? Why did you start there?
- How do you know that those masses work for each type of ball?
- Could knowing any of these masses help you estimate the approximate mass of any other common objects? A Tennis ball? A glass of water?
Extensions & Adaptations:
- If struggling with calculations, have a calculator handy!
- If unable to get started, try looking for equations containing only one type of equipment (two baseballs have a total mass of 280 grams.)
- Check out Mashup Math or SolveMe Mobiles for some more algebraic puzzling!
Source: University of Waterloo – CEMC Problem of the Week Database
Categories: Elementary