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Solve Multiplication Word Problems with Equal Groups

Students apply their understanding of multiplication to solve one-step word problems involving equal groups within 100. They practice identifying the number of groups and the group size from problem context, writing the multiplication equation, and solving it.

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Solve Multiplication Word Problems with Equal Groups

Grade 3 · Multiplication and Division Word Problems · question 1 of 3

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12 rungs. A star at the top.

Quinn gives ribbons to 5 dancers, 4 ribbons for each dancer. How many ribbons is that?

How it is taught

0:00 of 3:22

Equal groups all have the same size.

Multiplication finds the total of equal groups.

Read it: Equal groups, both ways

4 trays, 3 apples on each: skip count 3, 6, 9, 12, so 4 × 3 = 12. Share 12 apples onto 4 trays, and each tray gets 3: 12 ÷ 4 = 3.

  1. See the equal groups: how many groups, and how many in each.
  2. Skip count the groups to find the total.
  3. Say it both ways: 4 × 3 = 12, and 12 ÷ 4 = 3.

Counting every apple from one works, but it is slow, and it gets slower as you add more trays.

Each tray holds the same three apples, so after the first tray you already know the next jump is three more.

Four jumps of three land on twelve, which is four groups of three without touching every apple.

When each tray has the same number, skip count the trays to find how many.

Adding four and three and saying seven apples in all.

Four trays of three is not four plus three — skip three, six, nine, twelve.

6 × 2 = ___ — 12. 6 trays with 2 apples in each: skip-count the trays — 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12.

4 × 6 = 24

Maya has four baskets, and each basket holds six apples. How many apples does she have in all?

First we find the number of groups. There are four baskets — that's four equal groups.

Now the group size. Each basket holds six apples.

Equal groups means we can multiply. Four groups, six in each: four times six.

Four times six is just a fast way to say four groups of six.

Let's skip-count by sixes — one jump for each basket.

One basket: six apples.

Two baskets: twelve apples.

Three baskets: eighteen apples.

Four baskets: twenty-four apples.

4 baskets · 6 apples eachMaya has 4 baskets.Each basket has 6 apples.How many apples in all?Number of groups44 basketsSize of each group66 apples in each basketMultiplication equation4×6=?244 groups of 6(6 + 6 + 6 + 6)Skip count by 6024612181234ANSWER24apples
Grade 3 · 4 baskets of 6 apples

So four times six equals twenty-four.

Maya has twenty-four apples in all. Nice work!

What you see

While they climb, your page writes one true line to ask about tonight, and a short note each Sunday.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics
Did you know?

A chessboard has 64 squares — share them out between the 8 rows and each row holds exactly 8.

Today’s goal
1 star — one skill mastered, every rung of its ladder climbed
Climbing now
Divide within 100

An example student.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics

Maya earned 2 stars this week — Interpret multiplication as equal groups, which took 6 answers over 3 days before its star landed 3 days ago and Multiply by 6, 7, 8 and 9. Next up: Divide within 100.

An example week.

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