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Basic Arithmetic
Grades 4 & 5
For this activity students will be using their addition and subtraction skills to solve questions regarding certain dollar amounts. The students in the grade levels mentioned above should already have a working knowledge of the numbers between one and one hundred, and should not require the introduction of any new material; however this activity will test the student's ability to manipulate those numbers.(3)(9) The central theme of this activity is helping students connect math to real world situations.(8)
To begin, the students will be told to try and come up with several different ways to spend $100.00.(1) After a few minutes the teacher will ask for some examples.(6) The students will see that there are many different ways to spend $100.00. Next, they will be given constraints to help them make the connection between the real world and mathematics activities.(2)(5)
The first constraint will be that the students can not spend less than $5.00 on any one item as they try to spend $100.00. They will again be left with a large number of possible solutions.(4) Another constraint that can be added is for the students to use even prices only, and then odd prices only, as well as not having two prices be the same. The teacher can then ask the students to try and use those constraints, but they can not have any change remaining from the $100.00 bill.(13)
Once the students have arrived at several different ways to spend $100.00, while using the above constraints, have them list the number of items they have bought under each constraint. The class can discuss their solutions at this point. Depending on the size of the class, the teacher could have the students work in groups to discuss the different results, and then work together on the final activity.
For the final activity the students are given another problem to solve. The problem combines all of the constraints they have worked with so far.
Using $100.00 you must purchase six gifts. You can not have any money left over, no purchase can be over $20.00, and no two gifts can cost the same.
This problem is very similar to what someone may encounter when shopping for friends in real life. The students must devise a way to arrive at the answer, and then document their results. They also must decide if there is more than one way to solve the problem.
There are several different solutions for the problems that the students have been asked to solve, using all of the constraints. Possible solutions for each constraint are listed below. (7)
No item is less than $5.00 - Use $5.00 for every item=20 gifts/$5.00ea
Even prices only - 1 gift of $20.00, $40.00, $16.00, and $24.00
Odd prices only - 1 gift of $5.00, $7.00,$35.00, and $53.00
Final problem - Gift 1-$10.00, Gift 2-$16.00, Gift 3-$17.00,
Gift 4-$18.00, Gift 5-$19.00, Gift 6-$20.00
The activities listed above will help the students become more familiar with money, and how math is so important in everyday life.
