Examples
Don is at the store and wants to buy soda. Which option would be cheaper: buying one 24-ounce can of soda for $1.39 or buying two 12-ounce cans of soda for 69¢ each?Benchmark Instructional Guide
Connecting Benchmarks/Horizontal Alignment
- MA.5.NSO.1.1
- MA.5.NSO.1.2
- MA.5.NSO.1.3
- MA.5.NSO.2.3
- MA.5.NSO.2.4
- MA.5.NSO.2.5
- MA.5.AR.2.1
- MA.5.AR.2.4
- MA.5.M.1.1
Terms from the K-12 Glossary
- NA
Vertical Alignment
Previous Benchmarks
Next Benchmarks
Purpose and Instructional Strategies
The purpose of this standard is for students to apply understanding of multi-step real-world problems, measurement conversions, and decimal operations to solve problems involving money (MTR.7.1). This benchmark connects to previous work in grade 4 where students added and subtracted money in real world situations (MA.4.M.2.2). Money contexts continue to be important throughout the later grades.- During instruction, teachers should provide strategies for helping students comprehend what is happening in the problem and what needs to be found before students complete numerical calculations. Students should be encouraged to estimate a solution and model a problem using manipulatives, pictures and/or equations before computing (MTR.2.1).
Common Misconceptions or Errors
- Students can misinterpret multi-step word problems and only complete one of the steps. Encourage students to estimate reasonable solutions and justify models to solve before computing.
Strategies to Support Tiered Instruction
- Instruction includes encouraging students to estimate reasonable solutions and justify models before performing computations of a multi-step word problem.
- Instruction includes using visual models, such as bar models or tape diagrams, to help to visualize the problem.
- For example, which is a better deal, buying one 24oz. can for $1.39 or two 12 oz. cans for $0.69 each?
- Instruction includes visualizing word problems. The Three-Reads Protocol is a strategy that can be used to help students conceptualize what the question is asking. Students draw pictures or models to represent what is happening in the word problem. These pictures and models can be used to help students write equations for the problem they are solving.
- Instruction includes breaking down word problems into smaller parts. Students use a highlighter to emphasize the important information in the word problem and paraphrase the word problem so the teacher can determine if the student understands what the question is asking.
Instructional Tasks
Instructional Task 1 (MTR.7.1)
Jordan was saving his money to buy a remote control motorcycle. He saved $37.81 from his allowance and received two checks worth $10.00 each for his birthday. Jordan also has a half dollar coin collection with 30 coins in it. If the motorcycle costs $72.29, does Jordan have enough money to buy the motorcycle?
Instructional Items
Instructional Item 1
Pecans and almonds each cost $6.80 per pound. Kendall buys 1.5 pounds of pecans and 2.5 pounds of almonds. What is the total cost of Kendall’s purchase?
Instructional Item 2
A table below shows the costs of items at a candy store.- a. 3 chocolate bars
- b. 25 ounces of candy rope
- c. 2 chocolate bars and 3 peanut butter cups
- d. 3 peanut butter cups and 5 ounces of bubble gum
- e. 24 ounces of bubble gum and 2 ounces of candy rope
*The strategies, tasks and items included in the B1G-M are examples and should not be considered comprehensive.
Related Courses
Related Access Points
Related Resources
Educational Game
Formative Assessment
Lesson Plans
Original Student Tutorials
Problem-Solving Tasks
Tutorial
STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity
This activity allows students to determine the types of items that should be in a hurricane survival kit, use a budget and calculations to determine the items to include in the kit and gain an understanding of hurricanes and the need to prepare for 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. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.
This Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) is written at a 4th grade level.
This activity allows students to think critically using information provided. Students will write a procedure on how they determined which painting company would be suitable for the client.
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.
This MEA will deepen students' knowledge of the Bill of Rights through collaborative problem solving. Students are required to analyze data in order to recommend three Amendments to celebrate during a community festival. They will perform operations with fractions and mixed numbers to recommend advertising options for the festival within a budget.
The Birds Now Pet Store is increasing the size of its bird department. By increasing the number and types of birds, they need to purchase more bird food and the type of food needs to be one that different types of birds can eat. The students need to rank the companies that sell bird food base on the basic requirements out lined in the client's letter.
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
In this MEA, the students will help a charitable organization select 5 snack items from a list to provide nutritious snacks for children in low-income communities. Students will practice using the four operations to solve real-world problems and use decimal notation to make calculations involving money. Additionally, they will be asked to compare multi-digit numbers to the thousandths.
During this activity, students will read a book about the Brooklyn Bridge. After whole class discussion, children will explore different types of bridges and data, in order to decipher which bridge is the strongest. The students will work collaboratively in groups with assigned student roles. Students will utilized Higher Order thinking to create a solution. The culminating activity is a presentation of solution to whole class.
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.
This is a Model Eliciting Activity in which students are asked to assist a toy company in ranking several cities for them to consider where they will open their next store. They also read data and apply multiplication skills.
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.
In teams, students will determine which sailboat the Leeward Family should purchase. They will use their knowledge of multiplying decimals to assist in their problem solving. The criteria will be based on air conditioning, swim out, auto helm, recent bottom job, condition of sails, condition of upholstery, and other twists!
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
In this MEA, students will create a procedure to rank five mini-refrigerators to determine which one should be purchased for the school by the PTA based on size, type, features, energy usage, and cost. In the process, students will solve real-world problems involving the multiplication of multi-digit numbers with decimals to the hundredths, including using money. Students will also determine the volume of a rectangular prism using a formula.
This Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) is written at a 5th grade level. This MEA asks the students to decide on a t shirt that will provide the school’s Math club with the best value for their money. Students are asked to rank order the t shirt company options from best to worst. Students must 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 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
Students will first review rectangular prisms and the formula for finding the volume of rectangular prisms. After students have determined the volume of a given set of rectangular prisms (aquariums), the students will use that information to help Seymour Phish in determining which aquarium he should purchase for his minnows.
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
Students work in teams to plan the contents of a covered wagon for a family relocating from Missouri to Oregon. Students must calculate the weight and cost of the wagon by adding, subtracting, and multiplying with decimals.
Students use mathematical practices to recommend food packages for the Wildlife Refuge of North America to order.
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.
A fire caused by faulty wiring set off a sprinkler system, which damaged a school. The school must be remodeled and the electrical wiring must be replaced. Students will decide which materials to use to as conductors and which to use as insulators in the new wiring.
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
MFAS Formative Assessments
Students are asked to solve a word problem involving multiplication of a decimal by a whole number using a model or drawing or a strategy based on place value, the relationship between multiplication and division, or properties of operations.
Student Resources
Original Student Tutorials
Learn more about three U.S. states and their capitals, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin, in this interactive student tutorial. Practice your math skills by solving multi-step real world problems involving money and decimals.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about three states and their capitals by taking a trip to Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina in this interactive tutorial. Practice your math skills by solving multi-step real world problems involving money and decimals.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Educational Game
This interactive applet gives students practice in making change in U.S. dollars and in four other currencies. Students are presented with a purchase amount and the amount paid, and they must enter the quantity of each denomination that make up the correct change. Students are rewarded for correct answers and are shown the correct change if they err. There are four levels of difficulty, ranging from amounts less than a dollar to amounts over $100.
Type: Educational Game
Problem-Solving Tasks
The purpose of this task is for students to solve multi-step problems in a context involving a concept that supports financial literacy, namely inflation. Inflation is a sustained increase in the average price level. In this task, students can see that if the price level increases and people’s incomes do not increase, they aren’t able to purchase as many goods and services; in other words, their purchasing power decreases.
Type: Problem-Solving Task
When a division problem involving whole numbers does not result in a whole number quotient, it is important for students to be able to decide whether the context requires the result to be reported as a whole number with remainder (as with Part (b)) or a mixed number/decimal (as with Part (c)). Part (a) presents two variations on a context that require these two different responses to highlight the distinction between them.
Type: Problem-Solving Task
Tutorial
This Khan Academy tutorial video presents a strategy for computing the amount of change to be received after making a purchase.
Type: Tutorial
Parent Resources
Problem-Solving Tasks
The purpose of this task is for students to solve multi-step problems in a context involving a concept that supports financial literacy, namely inflation. Inflation is a sustained increase in the average price level. In this task, students can see that if the price level increases and people’s incomes do not increase, they aren’t able to purchase as many goods and services; in other words, their purchasing power decreases.
Type: Problem-Solving Task
When a division problem involving whole numbers does not result in a whole number quotient, it is important for students to be able to decide whether the context requires the result to be reported as a whole number with remainder (as with Part (b)) or a mixed number/decimal (as with Part (c)). Part (a) presents two variations on a context that require these two different responses to highlight the distinction between them.
Type: Problem-Solving Task