This task is designed for fifth graders and uses a visual picture of a 100% block. It asks students to critique two student responses that state how much of the block is shaded. Each student takes a different approach, but essentially states equivalent answers. One student looks at all of the pieces individually, as 23 ones, and the other student looks at the pieces like place values, as 2 tens and 3 ones. Students must recognize that these are two different ways to arrive at the same answer. Students are asked to draw pictures and use words to explain how the two students came about the answer in different ways.This task is an excellent example of how students may use different interpretations and methods to solve the same problem.

Microsoft Word version: 5_NBT_DecimalsEquivalence_Problem_Critique

PDF version: 5_NBT_DecimalsEquivalence_Problem_Critique

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