Curriculum › Grade 4 › Mathematics

Times as Many: Multiplication as Comparison

  • Grade 4
  • Mathematics
  • 4.OA.A.1
  • Operations & Algebraic Thinking
  • Free lesson

Aligned to 4.OA.A.1 — Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

What this lesson teaches

A multiplication equation can tell you how many times bigger one amount is than another. Saying 35 = 5 x 7 means 35 is 5 times as many as 7, or 7 times as many as 5.

Worked examples

Example 1

Sara has 4 stickers. Ben has 3 times as many. 'Times as many' means multiply: 3 x 4 = 12. So the equation 12 = 3 x 4 shows Ben has 12 stickers, which is 3 times as many as Sara's 4.

Example 2

A kitten weighs 2 pounds. Its mother weighs 5 times as much: 5 × 2 = 10 pounds.

Example 3

'5 more than 4' is 9, but '5 times as many as 4' is 20. The word 'times' changes the whole problem.

Practice questions

  1. Write an equation to show that 24 is 4 times as many as 6.
  2. A dog is 2 years old. Its owner is 6 times as old. Write the equation and find the owner's age.
  3. There are 40 red beads and 8 blue beads. Write a multiplication equation comparing them, then say it in words.

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

▶ Watch this lesson

En español

Veces más: la multiplicación como comparación

Una ecuación de multiplicación puede decir cuántas veces más grande es una cantidad que otra. Decir 35 = 5 x 7 significa que 35 es 5 veces la cantidad de 7, o 7 veces la cantidad de 5.

Ejemplo 1: Sara tiene 4 calcomanías. Ben tiene 3 veces esa cantidad. 'Veces más' significa multiplicar: 3 x 4 = 12. Entonces la ecuación 12 = 3 x 4 muestra que Ben tiene 12 calcomanías, que es 3 veces las 4 de Sara.

Ejemplo 2: Un gatito pesa 2 libras. Su mamá pesa 5 veces eso: 5 × 2 = 10 libras.

Ejemplo 3: '5 más que 4' es 9, pero '5 veces 4' es 20. La palabra 'veces' cambia todo el problema.

More Operations & Algebraic Thinking lessons

Multi-Digit Multiplication with Partial Products4.NBT.B.5Multi-Step Word Problems4.OA.A.3Factors, Multiples, and Patterns4.OA.B.4Word Problems with Times as Many4.OA.A.2Number and Shape Patterns4.OA.C.5

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