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Choose an appropriate operation

Interprets relationships among whole-number quantities to determine whether addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division models a situation, including joining and separating, comparison, equal groups, arrays, sharing, and grouping. The choice depends on the quantities and the unknown—not isolated cue words—and can be represented with an equation, bar model, or array and checked for reasonableness; the scope is limited to whole-number situations, including numbers within 1,000 for addition and subtraction and within 100 for multiplication and division, not fractions, decimals, negative numbers, or generalized algebraic cases.

Detailed Explanation: Choose an appropriate operation

Look at how the quantities are related and what the question asks you to find. Do not choose an operation just because you see a word such as more or each.

  • Use addition to join amounts or find a total.
  • Use subtraction to separate, compare, or find how many are missing.
  • Use multiplication for equal groups or an array when the number in each group and the number of groups are known.
  • Use division to share a total equally or find how many equal groups can be made.

Example: Maya has 44 boxes. Each box has 66 crayons. How many crayons does Maya have altogether?

  1. Identify the known quantities:

    • 44 equal groups (boxes)
    • 66 crayons in each group
    • The total number of crayons is unknown.

  2. Think about the relationship. This is an equal-groups situation, so multiplication models it.

  3. Write an equation:

4×6=244 \times 6 = 24
  1. Check your answer by adding the equal groups:
6+6+6+6=246+6+6+6=24

Maya has 2424 crayons.

Learn by doing: Choose an appropriate operation

Click a topic below to practice the foundational skills you'll need, learn the steps, or master this skill

    Practice with unlimited practice problems

    Multiplication and Division Word Problems (Small Integers)

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