Lesson 7

In this lesson students interpret situations and solve problems that involve products of a whole number and a fraction. Students solve story problems in a way that makes sense to them and match stories with diagrams and expressions. They work with expressions and flexibly interpret a diagram to extend their understanding of the relationship between fractions and multiplication and division. For example, consider this image:

It shows \(4 \div 3\) because there are 4 whole squares divided into 3 equal parts with 1 of those parts shaded. It also shows \(\frac{4}{3}\) as there are 4 pieces shaded and each is \(\frac{1}{3}\) of a unit rectangle. It shows the multiplication expression \(4 \times \frac{1}{3}\) because there are 4 groups of \(\frac{1}{3}\) shaded. It shows the multiplication expression \(\frac{1}{3} \times 4\) since there is a total of 4, and \(\frac{1}{3}\) of that is shaded.

Activity 1: How Far Did They Run?

• Create a set of cards from the blackline master for each group of 2.