Standard 3: Understand ratio and unit rate concepts and use them to solve problems.

General Information
Number: MA.6.AR.3
Title: Understand ratio and unit rate concepts and use them to solve problems.
Type: Standard
Subject: Mathematics (B.E.S.T.)
Grade: 6
Strand: Algebraic Reasoning

Related Benchmarks

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Related Access Points

This cluster includes the following access points.

Access Points

MA.6.AR.3.AP.1
Given a real-world context, write and interpret ratios to show the relative sizes of two quantities using notation: a/b, a to b, or a:b where b ≠ 0 with guidance and support.
MA.6.AR.3.AP.2
Given a rate, calculate the unit rate for a ratio with different units.
MA.6.AR.3.AP.3
Given a visual representation, write or select a ratio that describes the ratio relationship between part-to-part and part-to-whole ratios.
MA.6.AR.3.AP.4
Calculate a percentage of quantity as rate per 100 using models (e.g., percent bars or 10 × 10 grids).
MA.6.AR.3.AP.5a
Use tools, models or manipulatives to solve problems involving ratio relationships including mixtures and ratios of length.
MA.6.AR.3.AP.5b
Use tools, models or manipulatives to solve ratio, rate or unit rate problems involving conversions within the same measurement system.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Educational Game

Estimator Quiz:

In this activity, students are quizzed on their ability to estimate sums, products, and percentages. The student can adjust the difficulty of the problems and how close they have to be to the actual answer. This activity allows students to practice estimating addition, multiplication, or percentages of large numbers. This activity includes supplemental materials, including background information about the topics covered, a description of how to use the application, and exploration questions for use with the java applet.

Type: Educational Game

Formative Assessments

Unit Rate Length:

Students are asked to write ratios and unit rates from fractional values.

Type: Formative Assessment

Unit Rate Area:

Students are asked to convert a ratio of mixed numbers to a unit rate and explain its contextual meaning.

Type: Formative Assessment

Finding the Whole:

Students are asked to find the whole given a part and a percent.

Type: Formative Assessment

Comparing Unit Rates:

Students are asked to compute unit rates from values that include fractions.

Type: Formative Assessment

Measurement Conversion:

Students are asked to make unit conversions.

Type: Formative Assessment

Comparing Rates:

Students are asked to solve rate problems given the time it takes each of two animals to run different distances.

Type: Formative Assessment

Homework Time:

Students are asked to convert a given rate to an equivalent rate out of 100.

Type: Formative Assessment

Making Coffee:

Students are asked to write ratios equivalent to a given ratio.

Type: Formative Assessment

Computing Unit Rates:

Students are asked to compute and interpret unit rates in two different ways from values that include fractions and mixed numbers.

Type: Formative Assessment

Sara’s Hike:

Students are asked to solve a problem involving ratios.

Type: Formative Assessment

Party Punch - Compare Ratios:

Students are asked to compare ratios given in two different tables.

Type: Formative Assessment

Writing Unit Rates:

Students are given verbal descriptions of rates and asked to write them as unit rates.

Type: Formative Assessment

Identifying Unit Rates:

Students are asked to decide if given statements express unit rates.

Type: Formative Assessment

Explaining Rates:

Students are asked to explain the meaning of given rates and identify any that are unit rates.

Type: Formative Assessment

Writing Ratios:

Students are asked to write part-to-part and part-to-whole ratios using values given in a table.

Type: Formative Assessment

Interpreting Ratios:

Students are asked to explain the meaning of ratios in the context of problems.

Type: Formative Assessment

Comparing Time:

Students are given a scenario involving an additive comparison of two quantities, asked to write a ratio, and explain its meaning.

Type: Formative Assessment

Comparing Rectangles:

Students are asked to determine which of three given comparisons contains a correctly computed ratio in a context involving rectangles.

Type: Formative Assessment

Book Rates:

Students write and explain the meaning of a ratio and corresponding unit rate in the context of a word problem.

Type: Formative Assessment

Bargain Breakfast:

Students are given the prices of three different quantities of cereal and are asked to determine which is the best buy.

Type: Formative Assessment

Lesson Plans

Bottymals @ RobottoysTM:

In this Model Eliciting Activity (MEA), students will learn how to use very different pieces of information and data to select the best "Bottymals" for a company that wants to manufacture them and place them on the market. The MEA includes information about animal/insect anatomy (locomotion), manufacturing materials used in robotics, and physical science of the 6th grade level. Extensive information is provided to students, thus pre-requisites are minimal.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Real Life Tax, Tip, and Discount!:

Students calculate the tax, tip, and discount in real-world situations.

Type: Lesson Plan

Robots Get a Job:

In this MEA, students will select the robots that are more efficient at doing a certain type of job. They will have to analyze data tables that include force, force units, mass, mass units, and friction.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Cool Special Effects:

In this MEA, students will apply the concepts of heat transfer, especially convection. Students will analyze factors such as temperature that affect the behavior of fluids as they form convection currents.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Rate Your Local Produce Market:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, the students will rank the local produce markets by using qualitative and quantitative data. The students will have to calculate unit rates of produce prices and then compare and order them.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Champion Volleyball Team:

Students will help create a championship volleyball team by selecting 4 volleyball players to be added to open positions on the team. The students will use quantitative (ratios and decimals) and qualitative data to make their decisions.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Cosmic Nose Cones:

Students will design specific nose cones for a water bottle rocket. They will test them to find out and rate which one is most effective in terms of accuracy, speed, distance, and cost effectiveness. This information will be used as criteria for a company that designs nose cones for orbitary missions.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Ares Habitation Corporation and the Search for Lunarcrete:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will create a working model that can determine the best regolith to binder solution for a settlement on Mars. The students are contacted by a company that requests their services. Students will read about, study and create their own lunarcrete (moon concrete). Students will work as a team to evaluate the provided data and determine which solution is most effective. Students will find the unit rate of the lunacrete mixes. Finally, students will write a letter to the company defending their process giving reasons and data.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Lightyear Rockets:

Students are asked to evaluate and test several rocket fin designs to determine the most effective design. After launch, the students are asked to test an additional design and also design their own rocket fin. Additionally, students will record and graph their results.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

All “Tired” Up:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will utilize mathematical computation skills involving percentages and critical thinking skills to select the best tire deals advertised.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Real Estate Rental Agency:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will choose the best location for a family relocating and will find the monthly costs per month to make the best decision.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Fast Food Frenzy:

In this activity, students will engage critically with nutritional information and macronutrient content of several fast food meals. This is an MEA that requires students to build on prior knowledge of nutrition and working with percentages.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Smooth Smoothie:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will analyze data to decide what blender to use, the number of times the recipes are used and the total ingredients needed.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Basketball All Star Team:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will create a procedure for ranking high school basketball players. Students are given statistics for each player and are asked to recommend the best player to play for an all-star team after determining the free throw, three-point, and field goal percentages. Students write about the procedure used to make their decisions. In a twist, students are given additional data to determine the mean points per game.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Best Day Care Center for William:

This MEA requires students to formulate a comparison-based solution to a problem involving choosing the BEST daycare based upon safety, playground equipment, meals, teacher to student ratio, cost, holiday availability and toilet training availability. Students are provided the context of the problem, a request letter from a client asking them to provide a recommendation, and data relevant to the situation. Students utilize the data to create a defensible model solution to present to the client. Students will receive practice on calculating a discount, finding the sum of the discounts, working with ratios and ranking day cares based on the data given.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

"Ad" it Up:

Students will learn how to calculate markup, markdown, percent increase, and percent decrease. Using sales "ad" inserts from the internet, newspapers, and store flyers, students will understand how these concepts apply to real-world situations.

Type: Lesson Plan

Running and Rising:

In this lesson students will graph and compare two proportional relationships from different representations in contextual problems and be introduced to the constant of proportionality as the unit rate.

Type: Lesson Plan

Pricing Twelve Days of Celebration:

Students will discover how much items would cost if they were to give gifts for 12 days. They will learn how to calculate and add sales tax to find a total.

Type: Lesson Plan

For Students by Students:

Students are presented with the task of evaluating several types of fabric based on each of its characteristics. They need to analyze their current uniform needs and decide by choosing which type of fabric will best fit their uniform needs. Then they have to write a report explaining the procedure they used to analyze their choices, reasoning for their ranking and make the requested recommendations.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Shopping the Ads:

Have you ever heard students ask the question, "Why do I have to learn this?" This lesson answers that question because it requires the students to apply their knowledge in real world scenarios but does not teach a basic conceptual understanding of percentages. The teacher may use the whole lesson or select specific problems.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Dazzling Painting Co.:

Students will read a letter from a painting company from New York who are planning to expand to Florida. They need help deciding on which paint sprayers to purchase. Students will use their understanding of rate and percentages to analyze data and make suggestions.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Travel Troubles:

This activity engages the students into time scheduling, budgeting, and decision making to maximize time efficiency.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx.

Type: Lesson Plan

"Analyzing Wordless Stories" An Introduction to Solving Unit Rates:

In this lesson, students will apply their understanding of ratios and prior knowledge of division to determine the unit rate for a given ratio. After some initial instruction on unit rates, students will determine unit rates from diagrams with teacher guidance, and they will determine unit rates from narrative descriptions independently.

Type: Lesson Plan

Makeover, Home Edition Final Part IV:

This is the final part of the lesson "Makeover, Home Edition." This lesson is designed to teach students the applicability of finding the area of composite figures as well as understanding the importance of ratios in the real world. Part I (#48705) dealt with determining backyard dimensions for fence installation. Part II (#48967) concentrated on inserting a pool and patio into this backyard. Part III (#49025) dealt with creating a scale drawing of the backyard.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Best Domestic Car:

In this MEA students will use problem-solving strategies to determine which car to recommend to Americans living in India.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Lily's Cola TV Commercial:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, given a tight budget, students need to find the number of people that can be hired to film a soda commercial. Students will make the selection using a table that contains information about two types of extras. Experienced extras earn more money per hour than novice extras; however, novice extras need more time to shoot the commercial than experienced extras. In addition, students will select the design that would be used for the commercial taking into account the area that needs to be covered and the aesthetic factor.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Makeover, Home Edition Part II:

This is the second part of the lesson, "Makeover, Home Edition." This lesson will continue focusing on unit prices, but also incorporates area and volume. Part I (Makeover, Home Edition #48705) is based on creating backyard dimensions for fencing. Part III (Makeover, Home Edition #49025) will deal with creating a scale drawing of this backyard. Part IV (Makeover, Home Edition Final #49090) will focus on inserting a window and painting walls inside the house.

Type: Lesson Plan

Savvy Shopper:

This unit rate culminating activity has students apply knowledge to purchasing groceries. Specifically, knowledge of how unit rates can help save money over time.

Type: Lesson Plan

Equivalent Fractions and Percents:

This lesson is designed to give students their very first experience with the concept and representation of percents. The activities seeks to lay a conceptual foundation for later problem solving with percents by building on students' prior knowledge of fractions with denominators of 10 or 100 and finding equivalent ratios. Throughout the lesson they use art to show the visual connection between fractions and percents. Students develop the knowledge that a percent is a part/whole ratio where the whole is measured in hundredths. The lesson gives students the opportunity to visually represent fractions and percents on a 10 x 10 grid, along with an enrichment activity if the teacher wants in expand to include decimal conversions and finding.

Type: Lesson Plan

Can you say that another way?:

Students will model how to express an addition problem using the distributive property.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Concept of Ratios:

This lesson introduces students to the term ratio, its meaning and use, and the various ways in which a ratio can be presented.

Type: Lesson Plan

But Mom, I Really Want an iPad!!!!!! Part 2:

This is the 2nd Lesson where students are asked to solve a problem concerning the purchase of an iPad. Please see But Mom, I Really Want an iPad !! Part 1 (Resource 47500) for Lesson 1. Students are encouraged to use strategies to find equivalent ratios in their solutions.

Type: Lesson Plan

Scuba Diving Mask Search:

This MEA asks the students to decide which company would be the “best and the worst” to use to purchase scuba diving masks for Tino’s Scuba Diving School to provide to their diving certification students. Furthermore, the students are asked to suggest which type of scuba diving masks should be purchased in term of multiple panes – single pane mask, double pane mask, full face mask, skirt color, fit, durability, and price. Students must provide a "top choice" scuba diving mask to the company owner and explain how they arrived at their solution.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Paper Route Logic:

Students will be helping Lily Rae find the most efficient delivery route by using speed and distance values to calculate the shortest time to make it to all of her customers.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Makeover, Home Edition Part I:

This is the first part of the lesson, "Makeover Home Edition." This lesson is designed to increase student engagement. Students must think critically about fencing in their new "dream" backyard by calculating the total fencing needed. They will choose the most cost-effective method of purchasing their fencing by comparing unit rates mathematically and graphically. CPALMS Lesson Part II (#48967) will concentrate on inserting a pool and patio into this backyard. Part III (#49025) will include the creation of a scale drawing of this backyard. Part IV (#49090) focuses on inserting a window and painting walls inside the house.

Type: Lesson Plan

Fancy Fractions Catering Company Project:

Fancy Fractions Catering Company will be hosting a party and need your help to make it happen! Your help is needed to determine which recipe would be best for them to use in their pasta dish taking into account ingredient cost and customer preference.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Better Buy: 75 fl oz or 150 fl oz?:

The students will clip out advertisements or use the attached PowerPoint to determine the better buy between small quantities and large quantities. The students will answer the question, "Which item costs less per unit?" and demonstrate fluency in dividing with decimals.

Type: Lesson Plan

But Mom, I Really Want an iPad!!!!! Part 1:

In this lesson, students are asked to find how long it will take for a girl to raise the money needed to buy an iPad. Students explore various solution strategies, including making tables of equivalent ratios and writing an equation to find equivalent ratios. A situational story is used to capture the students' interest and to help students create a visual for the relationship between quantities in a ratio.

Type: Lesson Plan

Rank Our Pressure Cleaners:

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students are to decide on a pressure cleaning machine that will provide the Sidewalks and Roof Cleaning Services Incorporated with the best value for their money. Students are asked to provide a "Best Value" pressure cleaner to the company owner and explain how they arrived at their solution.

Model Eliciting Activities are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Is It Fair?:

In this lesson students will use their understanding of ratios and unit rate to solve problems where they must decide whether various situations are fair.

Type: Lesson Plan

Here's a tip!:

Students will solve problems involving sales tax and tips; students will apply the properties of operations with numbers in decimal, percent, and fraction form. Students will convert between numbers in any form as appropriate.

Type: Lesson Plan

Happy Lawns: Lawn Care Service MEA:

This Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) is written at a 6th grade level.
This MEA asks the students to decide on a lawn mower that will provide the Happy Lawns: Lawn Care Service with the best value for their money. Students are asked to rank order the lawn mowers in term of gas tank capacity, customer rating, speed, amount of time the mower takes to cut an acre of grass, shipping, and cost of the lawn mower. Students must provide a "Best Value" lawn mower to the company owner and explain how they arrived at their solution.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Summer Road Trip:

Students will go on a virtual "road trip" with a partner. Using the scale on a map, students will calculate the distance traveled, the amount of gas used, and the cost of the gas.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

Equivalent Ratios:

Help Lily identify and create equivalent ratios in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Farmers Market: Ratios, Rates and Unit Rates:

Learn how to identify and calculate unit rates by helping Milo find prices per item at a farmer's market in this interactive tutorial.  

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Helping Chef Ratio:

You will organize information in a table and write ratios equivalent to a given ratio in order to solve real-world and mathematical problems in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Perspectives Video: Expert

Statistical Sampling Results in setting Legal Catch Rate:

Fish Ecologist, Dean Grubbs, discusses how using statistical sampling can help determine legal catch rates for fish that may be endangered.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiasts

Mathematical Thinking for Ceramic 3D Printing:

In this video, Matthew Lawrence describes how mathematical thinking is important for 3D printing with ceramic materials.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Unit Rates in Swimming:

In this video, David Fermin demonstrates real-time estimates for monitoring swimming performance and physiology.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Unit Rate: Spring Water Bottling:

Nestle Waters discusses the importance of unit rate in the manufacturing process of bottling spring water.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Unit Rate and Florida Cave Formation:

How long does it take to form speleothems in the caves at Florida Caverns State Parks?

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Pizza Pi: Area, Circumference & Unit Rate:

How many times larger is the area of a large pizza compared to a small pizza? Which pizza is the better deal? Michael McKinnon of Gaines Street Pies talks about how the area, circumference and price per square inch is different depending on the size of the pizza.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Amping Up Violin Tuning with Math:

Kyle Dunn, a Tallahassee-based luthier and owner of Stringfest, discusses how math is related to music.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Building Scale Models to Solve an Archaeological Mystery:

<p>An archaeologist describes how mathematics can help prove a theory about mysterious prehistoric structures called shell rings.</p>

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Coffee Mathematics: Ratios and Total Dissolvable Solids:

Math - the secret ingredient for an excellent cup of coffee!

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Bicycle Mathematics: Selecting Gear Ratios for Performance:

Don't let math derail you. Learn how bicycle gears use ratios to help you ride comfortably on all kinds of terrain.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Motorcycle Mathematics: Tuning Compression Ratios for Performance:

Get revved up about math when this motorcycle mechanic explains compression ratios.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Calories, Distance, and Rowing Rates:

Food is fuel, especially important when your body is powering a boat across the ocean.

Related Resources:
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: GPS Data Set[.XLSX]
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Path Visualization for Google Earth[.KML]

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Calories, Exercise, and Metabolism Rates:

How much food do you need to cross the Pacific in a kayak? Get a calculator and a bag of almonds before you watch this.

Related Resources:
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: GPS Data Set[.XLSX]
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Path Visualization for Google Earth[.KML]

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Kites, Wind, and Speed:

Lofty ideas about kites helped power a kayak from California to Hawaii.

Related Resources:
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: GPS Data Set[.XLSX]
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Path Visualization for Google Earth[.KML]

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Isotopes and Paleoclimates:

Let this researcher explain how studying fossils and isotopes can help us understand ancient climate conditions!

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Ratios of Horse Feed:

An equestrian describes, nay, explains mathematics principles applied to feeding a horse!

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Perspectives Video: Teaching Ideas

Sling Psychrometers for Measuring Relative Humidity!:

Dave Rodriguez demonstrates the use of a sling psychrometer to compare wet and dry-bulb temperatures to determine relative humidity.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Teaching Idea

Bicycle Mathematics: Speed and Distance Calculations:

Cycling involves a lot of real-time math when you use an on-board computer. Learn about lesson ideas and how computers help with understanding performance.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Teaching Idea

Problem-Solving Tasks

Kendall's Vase - Tax:

This problem asks the student to find a 3% sales tax on a vase valued at $450.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Converting Square Units:

The purpose of this task is converting square units. Use the information provided to answer the questions posed. This task asks students to critique Jada's reasoning.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Jim and Jesse's Money:

Students are asked to use a ratio to determine how much money Jim and Jesse had at the start of their trip.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Security Camera:

Students are asked to determine the percent of the area of a store covered by a security camera. Then, students are asked to determine the "best" place to position the camera and support their answer.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Shirt Sale:

Use the information provided to find out the original price of Selina's shirt. There are several different ways to reason through this problem; two approaches are shown.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Three, Variation 1:

This problem is the fifth in a series of seven about ratios. Even though there are three quantities (the number of each candidates' votes), they are only considered two at a time.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Three, Variation 2:

This is the sixth problem in a series of seven that use the context of a classroom election. While it still deals with simple ratios and easily managed numbers, the mathematics surrounding the ratios are increasingly complex. In this problem, the students are asked to determine the difference in votes received by two of the three candidates.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Three, Variation 3:

This is the last problem of seven in a series about ratios set in the context of a classroom election. Since the number of voters is not known, the problem is quite abstract and requires a deep understanding of ratios and their relationship to fractions.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 3:

This problem is the third in a series of tasks set in the context of a class election. Students are given a ratio and total number of voters and are asked to determine the difference between the winning number of votes received and the number of votes needed for victory.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 1:

This is the first and most basic problem in a series of seven problems, all set in the context of a classroom election. Students are given a ratio and total number of voters and are asked to determine the number of votes received by each candidate.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 2:

This is the second in a series of tasks that are set in the context of a classroom election. It requires students to understand what ratios are and apply them in a context. The simple version of this question just asked how many votes each gets. This has the extra step of asking for the difference between the votes.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 4:

This is the fourth in a series of tasks about ratios set in the context of a classroom election. Given only a ratio, students are asked to determine the fractional difference between votes received and votes required.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

sandundertheswingset2024:

The 7th graders at Sunview Middle School were helping to renovate a playground for the kindergartners at a nearby elementary school. City regulations require that the sand underneath the swings be at least 15 inches deep. The sand under both swing sets was only 12 inches deep when they started. The rectangular area under the small swing set measures 9 feet by 12 feet and required 40 bags of sand to increase the depth by 3 inches. How many bags of sand will the students need to cover the rectangular area under the large swing set if it is 1.5 times as long and 1.5 times as wide as the area under the small swing set?

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Cooking with the Whole Cup:

Students are asked to use proportional reasoning to answer a series of questions in the context of a recipe.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Currency Exchange:

The purpose of this task is to have students convert multiple currencies to answer the problem. Students may find the CDN abbreviation for Canada confusing. Teachers may need to explain the fact that money in Canada is also called dollars, so to distinguish them, we call them Canadian dollars.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Dana's House:

Use the information provided to find out what percentage of Dana's lot won't be covered by the house.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Data Transfer:

This task asks the students to solve a real-world problem involving unit rates (data per unit time) using units that many teens and pre-teens have heard of but may not know the definition for. While the computations involved are not particularly complex, the units will be abstract for many students. The first solution relies more on reasoning about the meaning of multiplication and division, while the second solution uses units to help keep track of the steps in the solution process.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Friends Meeting on Bicycles:

Students are asked to use knowledge of rates and ratios to answer a series of questions involving time, distance, and speed.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Games at Recess:

Students are asked to write complete sentences to describe ratios for the context.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Buying Gas:

There are two aspects to fluency with division of multi-digit numbers: knowing when it should be applied, and knowing how to compute it. While this task is very straightforward, it represents the kind of problem that sixth graders should be able to recognize and solve relatively quickly. Easily recognizing contexts that require division is a necessary conceptual prerequisite to more complex modeling problems that students will be asked to solve later in middle and high school.

This task also has a natural carryover to work with ratios and rates, so students should also be building connections between these kinds of division problems and finding unit rates.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Mixing Concrete:

Given a ratio, students are asked to determine how much of each ingredient is needed to make concrete.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Overlapping Squares:

This problem provides an interesting geometric context to work on the notion of percent. Two different methods for analyzing the geometry are provided: the first places the two squares next to one another and then moves one so that they overlap. The second solution sets up an equation to find the overlap in terms of given information which reflects the mathematical ideas reason about and solve one-variable equations and inequalities.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Price Per Pound and Pounds Per Dollar:

Students are asked to use a given ratio to determine if two different interpretations of the ratio are correct and to determine the maximum quantity that could be purchased within a given context.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Ratio of Boys to Girls:

Use the information provided to find the ratio of boys to girls. Tasks like these help build appropriate connections between ratios and fractions. Students often write ratios as fractions, but in fact we reserve fractions to represent numbers or quantities rather than relationships between quantities. In some textbooks, a distinction is made between a ratio, which is assumed to have a common unit for both quantities, and a rate, which is defined to be a quotient of two quantities with different units (e.g. a ratio of the number of miles to the number of hours).

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Running at a Constant Speed:

Students are asked apply knowledge of ratios to answer several questions regarding speed, distance and time.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Teaching Ideas

Communicating about Numbers-SeaWorld Classroom Activity:

Students communicate mathematical ideas and visually represent ideas by constructing charts, graphs, and scale drawings based on information cards about various marine animals.

Type: Teaching Idea

Calculating Sharks-SeaWorld Classroom Activity:

  • Given data about sharks and the amount of food they eat, students will be able to solve for the unknown in percentage problems.
  • Given information about a shark's growth, students will be able to graph coordinates and interpret a linear graph.
  • Given the conversion factor, students will be able to convert from metric to English units.

Type: Teaching Idea

Text Resource

Hitting Streaks Spread Success:

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. Although scientists haven't determined a specific reason why one baseball player's hitting streak improves his whole team's performance, they have observed a very real mathematical pattern. There may be many reasons for the phenomenon, but no one has found them out yet.

Type: Text Resource

Tutorials

Determining Rates with Fractions:

This video demonstrates finding a unit rate from a rate containing fractions.

Type: Tutorial

Rate Problem With Fractions:

Watch as we solve a rate problem finding speed in meters per second using distance (in meters) and time (in seconds).

Type: Tutorial

Ratio Word Problem: Centimeters to Kilometers:

In this video, watch as we solve this word problem using what we know about equivalent ratios.

Type: Tutorial

Ratio Word Problem:

In this video, a ratio is given and then applied to solve a problem. 

Type: Tutorial

Finding a Percent:

In the video, we find the percent when given the part and the whole.

Type: Tutorial

Percent of a Whole Number:

This video demonstrates how to find percent of a whole number.

Type: Tutorial

Percent Word Problem:

You're asked to find the whole when given the part and the percent.

Type: Tutorial

Percent Word Problem:

Use long division to find the percent in this tutorial.

Type: Tutorial

Converting Decimals to Percents:

This video demonstrates how to write a decimal as a percent.

Type: Tutorial

Solving Unit Rate Problem:

This video demonstrates solving a unit rate problem using equivalent ratios.

Type: Tutorial

Solving Unit Price Problem:

This video demonstrates solving a unit price problem using equivalent ratios.

Type: Tutorial

The Meaning of Percent:

This video deals with what percent really means by looking at a 10 by 10 grid.

Type: Tutorial

The Meaning of Percent over 100:

This video demonstrates a visual model of a percent greater than 100.

Type: Tutorial

Converting Speed Units:

In this lesson, students will be viewing a Khan Academy video that will show how to convert ratios using speed units.

Type: Tutorial

Video/Audio/Animation

Understanding Percentages:

Percentages are one method of describing a fraction of a quantity. the percent is the numerator of a fraction whose denominator is understood to be one-hundred.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this topic.

Original Student Tutorials

Equivalent Ratios:

Help Lily identify and create equivalent ratios in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Farmers Market: Ratios, Rates and Unit Rates:

Learn how to identify and calculate unit rates by helping Milo find prices per item at a farmer's market in this interactive tutorial.  

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Helping Chef Ratio:

You will organize information in a table and write ratios equivalent to a given ratio in order to solve real-world and mathematical problems in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Educational Game

Estimator Quiz:

In this activity, students are quizzed on their ability to estimate sums, products, and percentages. The student can adjust the difficulty of the problems and how close they have to be to the actual answer. This activity allows students to practice estimating addition, multiplication, or percentages of large numbers. This activity includes supplemental materials, including background information about the topics covered, a description of how to use the application, and exploration questions for use with the java applet.

Type: Educational Game

Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Building Scale Models to Solve an Archaeological Mystery:

<p>An archaeologist describes how mathematics can help prove a theory about mysterious prehistoric structures called shell rings.</p>

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Problem-Solving Tasks

Kendall's Vase - Tax:

This problem asks the student to find a 3% sales tax on a vase valued at $450.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Converting Square Units:

The purpose of this task is converting square units. Use the information provided to answer the questions posed. This task asks students to critique Jada's reasoning.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Jim and Jesse's Money:

Students are asked to use a ratio to determine how much money Jim and Jesse had at the start of their trip.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Security Camera:

Students are asked to determine the percent of the area of a store covered by a security camera. Then, students are asked to determine the "best" place to position the camera and support their answer.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Shirt Sale:

Use the information provided to find out the original price of Selina's shirt. There are several different ways to reason through this problem; two approaches are shown.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Three, Variation 1:

This problem is the fifth in a series of seven about ratios. Even though there are three quantities (the number of each candidates' votes), they are only considered two at a time.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Three, Variation 2:

This is the sixth problem in a series of seven that use the context of a classroom election. While it still deals with simple ratios and easily managed numbers, the mathematics surrounding the ratios are increasingly complex. In this problem, the students are asked to determine the difference in votes received by two of the three candidates.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Three, Variation 3:

This is the last problem of seven in a series about ratios set in the context of a classroom election. Since the number of voters is not known, the problem is quite abstract and requires a deep understanding of ratios and their relationship to fractions.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 3:

This problem is the third in a series of tasks set in the context of a class election. Students are given a ratio and total number of voters and are asked to determine the difference between the winning number of votes received and the number of votes needed for victory.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 1:

This is the first and most basic problem in a series of seven problems, all set in the context of a classroom election. Students are given a ratio and total number of voters and are asked to determine the number of votes received by each candidate.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 2:

This is the second in a series of tasks that are set in the context of a classroom election. It requires students to understand what ratios are and apply them in a context. The simple version of this question just asked how many votes each gets. This has the extra step of asking for the difference between the votes.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 4:

This is the fourth in a series of tasks about ratios set in the context of a classroom election. Given only a ratio, students are asked to determine the fractional difference between votes received and votes required.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

sandundertheswingset2024:

The 7th graders at Sunview Middle School were helping to renovate a playground for the kindergartners at a nearby elementary school. City regulations require that the sand underneath the swings be at least 15 inches deep. The sand under both swing sets was only 12 inches deep when they started. The rectangular area under the small swing set measures 9 feet by 12 feet and required 40 bags of sand to increase the depth by 3 inches. How many bags of sand will the students need to cover the rectangular area under the large swing set if it is 1.5 times as long and 1.5 times as wide as the area under the small swing set?

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Cooking with the Whole Cup:

Students are asked to use proportional reasoning to answer a series of questions in the context of a recipe.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Currency Exchange:

The purpose of this task is to have students convert multiple currencies to answer the problem. Students may find the CDN abbreviation for Canada confusing. Teachers may need to explain the fact that money in Canada is also called dollars, so to distinguish them, we call them Canadian dollars.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Dana's House:

Use the information provided to find out what percentage of Dana's lot won't be covered by the house.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Data Transfer:

This task asks the students to solve a real-world problem involving unit rates (data per unit time) using units that many teens and pre-teens have heard of but may not know the definition for. While the computations involved are not particularly complex, the units will be abstract for many students. The first solution relies more on reasoning about the meaning of multiplication and division, while the second solution uses units to help keep track of the steps in the solution process.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Friends Meeting on Bicycles:

Students are asked to use knowledge of rates and ratios to answer a series of questions involving time, distance, and speed.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Games at Recess:

Students are asked to write complete sentences to describe ratios for the context.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Mixing Concrete:

Given a ratio, students are asked to determine how much of each ingredient is needed to make concrete.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Overlapping Squares:

This problem provides an interesting geometric context to work on the notion of percent. Two different methods for analyzing the geometry are provided: the first places the two squares next to one another and then moves one so that they overlap. The second solution sets up an equation to find the overlap in terms of given information which reflects the mathematical ideas reason about and solve one-variable equations and inequalities.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Price Per Pound and Pounds Per Dollar:

Students are asked to use a given ratio to determine if two different interpretations of the ratio are correct and to determine the maximum quantity that could be purchased within a given context.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Running at a Constant Speed:

Students are asked apply knowledge of ratios to answer several questions regarding speed, distance and time.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Tutorials

Determining Rates with Fractions:

This video demonstrates finding a unit rate from a rate containing fractions.

Type: Tutorial

Rate Problem With Fractions:

Watch as we solve a rate problem finding speed in meters per second using distance (in meters) and time (in seconds).

Type: Tutorial

Ratio Word Problem: Centimeters to Kilometers:

In this video, watch as we solve this word problem using what we know about equivalent ratios.

Type: Tutorial

Ratio Word Problem:

In this video, a ratio is given and then applied to solve a problem. 

Type: Tutorial

Finding a Percent:

In the video, we find the percent when given the part and the whole.

Type: Tutorial

Percent of a Whole Number:

This video demonstrates how to find percent of a whole number.

Type: Tutorial

Percent Word Problem:

You're asked to find the whole when given the part and the percent.

Type: Tutorial

Percent Word Problem:

Use long division to find the percent in this tutorial.

Type: Tutorial

Converting Decimals to Percents:

This video demonstrates how to write a decimal as a percent.

Type: Tutorial

Solving Unit Price Problem:

This video demonstrates solving a unit price problem using equivalent ratios.

Type: Tutorial

The Meaning of Percent:

This video deals with what percent really means by looking at a 10 by 10 grid.

Type: Tutorial

The Meaning of Percent over 100:

This video demonstrates a visual model of a percent greater than 100.

Type: Tutorial

Converting Speed Units:

In this lesson, students will be viewing a Khan Academy video that will show how to convert ratios using speed units.

Type: Tutorial

Video/Audio/Animation

Understanding Percentages:

Percentages are one method of describing a fraction of a quantity. the percent is the numerator of a fraction whose denominator is understood to be one-hundred.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this topic.

Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Building Scale Models to Solve an Archaeological Mystery:

<p>An archaeologist describes how mathematics can help prove a theory about mysterious prehistoric structures called shell rings.</p>

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Problem-Solving Tasks

Kendall's Vase - Tax:

This problem asks the student to find a 3% sales tax on a vase valued at $450.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Converting Square Units:

The purpose of this task is converting square units. Use the information provided to answer the questions posed. This task asks students to critique Jada's reasoning.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Jim and Jesse's Money:

Students are asked to use a ratio to determine how much money Jim and Jesse had at the start of their trip.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Security Camera:

Students are asked to determine the percent of the area of a store covered by a security camera. Then, students are asked to determine the "best" place to position the camera and support their answer.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Shirt Sale:

Use the information provided to find out the original price of Selina's shirt. There are several different ways to reason through this problem; two approaches are shown.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Three, Variation 1:

This problem is the fifth in a series of seven about ratios. Even though there are three quantities (the number of each candidates' votes), they are only considered two at a time.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Three, Variation 2:

This is the sixth problem in a series of seven that use the context of a classroom election. While it still deals with simple ratios and easily managed numbers, the mathematics surrounding the ratios are increasingly complex. In this problem, the students are asked to determine the difference in votes received by two of the three candidates.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Three, Variation 3:

This is the last problem of seven in a series about ratios set in the context of a classroom election. Since the number of voters is not known, the problem is quite abstract and requires a deep understanding of ratios and their relationship to fractions.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 3:

This problem is the third in a series of tasks set in the context of a class election. Students are given a ratio and total number of voters and are asked to determine the difference between the winning number of votes received and the number of votes needed for victory.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 1:

This is the first and most basic problem in a series of seven problems, all set in the context of a classroom election. Students are given a ratio and total number of voters and are asked to determine the number of votes received by each candidate.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 2:

This is the second in a series of tasks that are set in the context of a classroom election. It requires students to understand what ratios are and apply them in a context. The simple version of this question just asked how many votes each gets. This has the extra step of asking for the difference between the votes.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Voting for Two, Variation 4:

This is the fourth in a series of tasks about ratios set in the context of a classroom election. Given only a ratio, students are asked to determine the fractional difference between votes received and votes required.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

sandundertheswingset2024:

The 7th graders at Sunview Middle School were helping to renovate a playground for the kindergartners at a nearby elementary school. City regulations require that the sand underneath the swings be at least 15 inches deep. The sand under both swing sets was only 12 inches deep when they started. The rectangular area under the small swing set measures 9 feet by 12 feet and required 40 bags of sand to increase the depth by 3 inches. How many bags of sand will the students need to cover the rectangular area under the large swing set if it is 1.5 times as long and 1.5 times as wide as the area under the small swing set?

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Cooking with the Whole Cup:

Students are asked to use proportional reasoning to answer a series of questions in the context of a recipe.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Currency Exchange:

The purpose of this task is to have students convert multiple currencies to answer the problem. Students may find the CDN abbreviation for Canada confusing. Teachers may need to explain the fact that money in Canada is also called dollars, so to distinguish them, we call them Canadian dollars.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Dana's House:

Use the information provided to find out what percentage of Dana's lot won't be covered by the house.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Data Transfer:

This task asks the students to solve a real-world problem involving unit rates (data per unit time) using units that many teens and pre-teens have heard of but may not know the definition for. While the computations involved are not particularly complex, the units will be abstract for many students. The first solution relies more on reasoning about the meaning of multiplication and division, while the second solution uses units to help keep track of the steps in the solution process.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Friends Meeting on Bicycles:

Students are asked to use knowledge of rates and ratios to answer a series of questions involving time, distance, and speed.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Games at Recess:

Students are asked to write complete sentences to describe ratios for the context.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Buying Gas:

There are two aspects to fluency with division of multi-digit numbers: knowing when it should be applied, and knowing how to compute it. While this task is very straightforward, it represents the kind of problem that sixth graders should be able to recognize and solve relatively quickly. Easily recognizing contexts that require division is a necessary conceptual prerequisite to more complex modeling problems that students will be asked to solve later in middle and high school.

This task also has a natural carryover to work with ratios and rates, so students should also be building connections between these kinds of division problems and finding unit rates.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Mixing Concrete:

Given a ratio, students are asked to determine how much of each ingredient is needed to make concrete.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Overlapping Squares:

This problem provides an interesting geometric context to work on the notion of percent. Two different methods for analyzing the geometry are provided: the first places the two squares next to one another and then moves one so that they overlap. The second solution sets up an equation to find the overlap in terms of given information which reflects the mathematical ideas reason about and solve one-variable equations and inequalities.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Price Per Pound and Pounds Per Dollar:

Students are asked to use a given ratio to determine if two different interpretations of the ratio are correct and to determine the maximum quantity that could be purchased within a given context.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Running at a Constant Speed:

Students are asked apply knowledge of ratios to answer several questions regarding speed, distance and time.

Type: Problem-Solving Task