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Try it at home

Let’s try solving the problem below. Please note the different number choices. Use them to adjust the level of difficulty of the problem. I am giving some suggestions based on grade level, but feel free to play with the numbers as you see fit. Let your child solve the problem in any way your child can. But at the end do not forget to ask the fundamental question: how do you know?

At a birthday party, 4 children share 10 brownies, so that everyone gets the same amount. How much brownie can each child get?

4 children and 10 brownies is an easy number choice. You can start with this one if you are not sure about how your child would solve the problem. You can try other number choices to change the problem’s level of difficulty, such as

  • (3 children, 8 brownies);
  • (8 children, 9 brownies);
  • (6 children, 20 brownies);
  • (10 children, 36 brownies);
  • (6 children, 7 1/2 brownies).