Lesson 16
Compare Products
Lesson Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is for students to compare the size of a product to the size of one factor using a strategy that makes sense to them.
Lesson Narrative
In previous lessons students have found products of whole numbers, decimals, and fractions. The goal of this lesson is for students to examine the size of the product compared to the size of its factors. For example, students know that if they find a product of two whole numbers greater than 1, such as \(5 \times 7\), the value of the product is greater than the value of either factor. They also know that the value of a product of fractions, such as \(\frac{2}{3} \times \frac{5}{8}\), is less than the value of either factor. In this lesson, students study the situation where one of the factors is a fraction and the other is a whole number. They make the comparison using any strategy that makes sense to them. This might include calculating the value of the product, thinking about the meaning of fractions, or using a diagram.
- Action and Expression
Learning Goals
Teacher Facing
- Compare products in a way that makes sense to them.
Student Facing
- Let’s compare products.
Required Preparation
CCSS Standards
Lesson Timeline
| Warm-up | 10 min |
| Activity 1 | 15 min |
| Activity 2 | 20 min |
| Lesson Synthesis | 10 min |
| Cool-down | 5 min |
Teacher Reflection Questions
Identify ways the math community you are working to foster is going well. What aspects would you like to work on? What actions can you take to improve those areas?
Suggested Centers
- Creating Line Plots (2–5), Stage 4: Eighth Inches, Add, Subtract, and Multiply (Addressing)
- Rectangle Rumble (3–5), Stage 4: Whole Number and Fraction Factors (Supporting)