Grade 4: Photos of Multiplicative Comparisons

The American alligator has twice as many teeth as the average dog.

Twelve times more dinosaur fossils were found in Europe than in Australia.

In 2018, more than 7 times as many people traveled for Lunar New Year (China) than Thanksgiving (US).

These are all examples of multiplicative comparisons, or comparing two things using multiplication. In early March, just before Driscoll’s physical campus closed, fourth graders were learning about how to use and apply these kind of relationships to different quantities. For their first week on Driscoll’s online campus, they continued this work.

Liam, in 4G, showed how 80 bananas is 16 times more than a bunch of 5.

Alice, in 4M, used drawing tools to show how equal groups can help us determine the multiplicative comparison.

Elai, in 4M, extended his thinking to fractions and decimals.