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Problem Solving for the 21st Century: Built for the Common Core

Tile Border

Mrs. Garcia wants to put a tile border along one side of her kitchen wall. Mrs. Garcia measures the wall and knows that she needs enough tiles to make three rows with sixty-three tiles in each row. How many tiles does Mrs. Garcia need to make the border? Tiles sell in boxes with eight tiles in each box. How many boxes of tiles does Mrs. Garcia need to buy? Write equations to support your mathematical thinking.

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assessment
Domain:
Aligned Standard:
Mathematical Practices:
  • MP.1
  • MP.1

    Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

  • MP.3
  • MP.3

    Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

  • MP.4
  • MP.4

    Model with mathematics.

  • MP.6
  • MP.6

    Attend to precision.

  • MP.7
  • MP.7

    Look for and make use of structure.

View all Grade 4 tasks

Plan

Underlying Mathematical Concepts

  • Solve multi-step word problems where remainders must be interpreted
  • Number sense to 189
  • Equations

Possible Problem-Solving Strategies

  • Model (manipulatives)
  • Diagram/Key
  • Equations
  • Table
  • Number line
  • Graph

Formal Mathematical Language and Symbolic Notation

  • Model
  • Diagram/Key
  • Table
  • Number line
  • Graph
  • Axis
  • Input/Output
  • Total/Sum
  • Per
  • Dozen
  • Gross
  • Multiplication
  • Multiples
  • Product
  • Greater than (>)
  • Division
  • Quotient
  • Divisor
  • Divided
  • Remainder
  • Even
  • Variable
  • Equation
  • Unknown quantity
  • Row
  • Rule
  • Input
  • Output
  • Pattern
  • Rules: 63 • r = t, 8 • b = t

A student may independently select a printed number line, number chart, ten frames, graph paper, etc. as they work on a task.

Download printable resources for student representations.

Suggested Materials

Engagement Image:

Teachers may project the image below to launch this task for their students, define nouns, promote discussion, access prior knowledge, and inspire engagement and problem solving.

Click image to enlarge

Task-Specific Evidence

This task requires students to use multiplication and division to solve a multi-step problem in which any remainder must be interpreted. Students will also use reasoning and estimation to analyze the reasonableness of their solutions.

Printer-Friendly Planning Sheet
Printer-Friendly Exemplars Rubric

Possible Solutions

  • Task Solution (active tab)
Task Solution

Mrs. Garcia needs 189 tiles. 24 boxes of tiles are needed.

Possible Connections

Below are some examples of mathematical connections. Your students may discover some that are not on this list.

  • Mrs. Garcia will have 3 extra tiles.
  • If Mrs. Garcia wants to use all the tiles, she can have 3 rows of 64 tiles.
  • The patterns are rows +1, tiles per row +63 (multiples of 63), boxes +1, total tiles +8 (multiples of 8, always even numbers).
  • The rules are: 63 · r = t, 8 · b = t (r is row, b is box, t is total tiles).
  • Generalize and apply rules to verify answers.
  • Relate to a similar task and state a math link.
  • Solve more than one way to verify the answer.
  • Graph the input/output.
  • 2 dozen boxes of tiles are needed.
  • More than a gross (144) of tiles are used.
Printer-friendly Anchor Paper & Scoring Rationales

Assess

Printer-Friendly Exemplars Rubric

Novice

1

Apprentice

1
2
3

Practitioner

1
2
3

Expert

1

Novice

This student does not meet the standard.

Novice 1

Scoring Rationale

Problem Solving

Apprentice

The student’s strategy to use multiplication to find the total number of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs works to solve the task. The student’s answer, “189 tiles,” is correct. The student is not able to solve the second part of the task correctly. The student’s answer, “504 boxes,” is not correct.

Reasoning & Proof

Apprentice

The student demonstrates correct reasoning for the first part of the task by applying a correct multiplication equation. The student does not show correct reasoning for the second part of the task. The student multiplies 63 tiles by 8 tiles instead of dividing the 189 total tiles by 8 tiles per box.

Communication

Novice

The student does not use any mathematical language or notation.

Connections

Novice

The student does not make a mathematically relevant connection.

Representation

Novice

The student does not use any mathematical representation in their solution.

Overall Achievement Level:

Novice

Apprentice

This student does not meet the standard.

Apprentice 1

Scoring Rationale

Problem Solving

Apprentice

The student’s strategy to use multiplication and a table to find the total number of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs works to solve the task. The student’s answer, “189 tiles,” is correct. The student uses division to find the total number of boxes of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs. The student fails to consider the remainder of five tiles which results in an incorrect answer of “23 boxes.”

Reasoning & Proof

Apprentice

The student demonstrates correct reasoning for the first part of the task by applying a correct multiplication equation. The student does not show correct reasoning for the second part of the task. The student uses division correctly but does not realize that 24 boxes of tile are needed because of the 5 tile remainder when dividing 189 tiles by 8 tiles.

Communication

Practitioner

The student correctly uses the mathematical terms row, equation from the task. The student also correctly uses the term total.

Connections

Practitioner

The student makes the mathematically relevant observation, “If she wants 4 rows she needs 189 + 63 = 252 tiles.

Representation

Practitioner

The student’s table is appropriate and accurate. All labels are included and the data is correct.

Overall Achievement Level:

Apprentice

This student does not meet the standard.

Apprentice 2

Scoring Rationale

Problem Solving

Apprentice

The student's strategy of using a table to find the total number of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs works to solve the first question in the task. The student's answer, "189 tiles answer" is correct. The student attempts calculation to answer the second question in the task but is not able to complete the equation.

Reasoning & Proof

Apprentice

The student demonstrates correct reasoning for the first question by using addition equations to support their table. It appears that the student understands that the second question could be solved using division but the student does not complete the calculation.

Communication

Practitioner

The student correctly uses the mathematical term row from the task. The student also correctly uses the terms total, "tabel," pattern.

Connections

Practitioner

The student makes the mathematically relevant observation, "The tiles pattern is add 63."

Representation

Practitioner

The student's table is appropriate and accurate. All labels are included and the data is correct.

Overall Achievement Level:

Apprentice

This student does not meet the standard.

Apprentice 3

Scoring Rationale

Problem Solving

Practitioner

The student's strategy of using a diagram and a multiplication model to find the total number of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs for three rows works to solve the first question in the task. The student's answer, "189 tiles is my anser 1," is correct. The student's strategy of using a table to find the total number of boxes of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs works to solve the second question in the task. The student's answer, "24 boxes is my anser 2," is correct.

Reasoning & Proof

Practitioner

The student demonstrates correct reasoning of finding an unknown by using addition, subtraction, and multiplication. The student understands that adding another box of tiles is necessary to include the remainder of 5 tiles.

Communication

Apprentice

The student correctly uses the mathematical term row from the task.

Connections

Practitioner

The student makes the mathematically relevant observation, "3 is extra tiles, 3 extra."

Representation

Practitioner

The student's diagram is appropriate to the task and accurate. The student's table is also appropriate and accurate. All labels are included and the entered data is correct. The student also includes a multiplication model that is correct.

Overall Achievement Level:

Apprentice

Practitioner

This student meets the standard.

Practitioner 1

Scoring Rationale

Problem Solving

Practitioner

The student’s strategy to use multiplication to find the total number of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs for her border works to solve the task. The student’s answer, “3 x 63 =189 tiles,” is correct. The student uses a number line to find the total number of boxes of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs. The student’s answer, “I did 24 boxes” is correct.

Reasoning & Proof

Practitioner

The student demonstrates correct reasoning for the first part of the task by applying a correct multiplication equation. The student shows correct reasoning for the second part of the task by applying an add eight pattern to their number line.

Communication

Practitioner

The student correctly uses the mathematical terms number line, per, pattern.

Connections

Practitioner

The student makes the mathematically relevant observation, “She will have 3 tiles left in box 24,” and, “The pattern on my number line is add 8.”

Representation

Practitioner

The student’s number line is appropriate and accurate. All labels are included and the jumps for boxes are correct.

Overall Achievement Level:

Practitioner

This student meets the standard.

Practitioner 2

Scoring Rationale

Problem Solving

Practitioner

The student’s strategy to use a multiplication model and a table to find the total number of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs for her border works to solve the task. The student’s use of division to find the necessary number of boxes of tiles for the kitchen border works to find the answer for the second part of the task. The student’s answer, “She needs 189 tiles, 24 boxes,” is correct. The student also indicates two correct equations in their solution.

Reasoning & Proof

Practitioner

The student demonstrates correct reasoning of multiplication and division with remainder to arrive at a correct answer.

Communication

Practitioner

The student correctly uses the mathematical term row from the task. The student also correctly uses the terms model, table, dozen, odd number, total.

Connections

Practitioner

The student makes the mathematically relevant Practitioner-level observations, “She is going to have 3 extra tiles left to use later” and “2 dozen boxes is 24 boxes.” The student does not receive Practitioner-level connection credit for identifying 189 as an odd number because the student does not contiune to relate/link this statement to an underlying concept in the task.

Representation

Practitioner

The student’s table is appropriate and accurate. All labels are included and the entered data is correct.

Overall Achievement Level:

Practitioner

This student meets the standard.

Practitioner 3

Scoring Rationale

Problem Solving

Practitioner

The student's strategy of using a table to find the total number of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs for her border works to solve the first part of the task. The student's answer, "Mrs. Gomez will need 189 tiles is the first answer," is correct. The student's use of division to find the necessary number of boxes of tiles for the kitchen border works to solve the second part of the task. The student's answer, "Mrs. Gomez needs 24 boxes of tiles is the second answer," is correct.

Reasoning & Proof

Practitioner

The student demonstrates correct reasoning of addition and division with remainder to arrive at a correct answer.

Communication

Practitioner

The student correctly uses the mathematical term row from the task. The student also correctly uses the terms total, table, key, first, second, odd.

Connections

Practitioner

The student makes the mathematically relevant observations, "She has 3 tiles remaining in case some brake," and "Each row is an odd total of tiles on her wall."

Representation

Practitioner

The student's table is appropriate and accurate. All labels are included and the entered data is correct.

Overall Achievement Level:

Practitioner

Expert

,
This student exceeds the standard.

Expert 1

Scoring Rationale

Problem Solving

Expert

The student’s strategy to use a table and multiplication to find the total number of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs for her border works to solve the task. The student’s answer, “3 x 63 = 189 tiles,” is correct. The student uses division to find the total number of boxes of tiles Mrs. Garcia needs. The student’s answer, “So buy 24 boxes” is correct. The student uses alternate strategies of a table and generalized rule.

Reasoning & Proof

Expert

The student demonstrates correct reasoning of multiplication and division as well as generalizing and applying a rule, 8 · b = t, to justify the second part of the task.

Communication

Expert

The student correctly uses the mathematical term row from the task. The student also correctly uses the terms total, table, dozen, second, pattern, key, rule. The student correctly uses the mathematical symbolic notation 8 · b = t.

Connections

Expert

The student makes the mathematically relevant Practitioner observations, “two dozen is 24 boxes,” and, “3 left over.” The student makes an Expert connection. The student generalizes a rule, 8 · b = t, and applies the rule for 4, 8, 10, 23, and 24 boxes. The student defines the variables b and t in a key.

Representation

Expert

The student’s tables are appropriate to the task and are accurate. All columns are labeled correctly and the entered data is correct. The student creates the second table to justify their division equation and to extend their thinking to a generalized rule.

Overall Achievement Level:

Expert

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