Types of Multiplication and Division Problems

Types of Multiplication and Division Problems

Problems involving a number of equivalent sets. These sets can be objects, arrays, or jumps on the number line.

1. The unknown is the total number in all the groups:

If there are 5 teams with 4 members on each team, how many players are there in all? There are two known factors and a missing product. Using established knowledge, students often interpret this correctly as a repeated addition problem (4+4+4+4+4=20). Through classroom experiences with many such problems, they can connect the repeated addition sentence to a multiplication sentence (5X4=20).

2. The unknown is the number of groups:

Twenty members of a class are divided into teams of 4 members each. How many teams are there? The problem gives the total number in all the groups and the measure or size of each group. This aspect of division is called measurement division.

3. The unknown is the number in each group:

Twenty members of a class are divided equally into 5 teams.   How many students are on each team? The problem gives the total number of students and the number of partitions or groups. This aspect is known as partitive division.