Recently in math, we have been using the tool of a place value chart to help students understand what happens when a number is multiplied by 10 or one of the multiples of 10. When a one digit whole number is multiplied by 10, you can expect to put a zero at the end (5x10=50). However, that's a short cut for what is mathematically happening. When we multiply by 10, we are actually moving digits of the original number in the place value chart. Check out the word problem below:
Jack and Kevin are creating a mosaic for art class by using fragments of broken tiles. They want the mosaic to have 100 sections. If each section requires 31.5 tiles, how many tiles will they need to complete the mosaic? Explain your reasoning with a place value chart.
When we multiplied 31.5 by 100, we actually shifted the whole number in the place value chart. This chart is a tool that we use in order to develop a mental model of the operation that's happening as you multiply by powers of 10.A situation where this is truly helpful is when using Metric measurement. You'll see that to move from meters to parts of a meter (dm, cm, and mm) you'll divide by a power of ten and to move to multiples of a meter (dkm, hm, and km) you'll multiply by powers of 10. At home, any measurement for cooking, picture hanging, jobs around the home, craft projects, etc. is an excellent way to support your child in developing more fluency in using their powers of ten to multiply or divide. I would love to share some ways you and your family practice math in daily living. If you try playing with Powers of Ten sometime soon, email me, and I'll share.
