Problem
Larger dividend gives larger quotient
There are 20 crackers and 28 candies. Each type is shared equally among 4 children. I need to find how many more candies than crackers each child gets.
Operations
Your answer
candies
Watch out The question asks for the difference in shares — how many more candies than crackers — not just the number of candies (7) each child receives.
How to solve
Strategy Identify Subproblems — Find each child's share of crackers and of candies as two separate division subproblems, then compare them. Because the same 4 children share both, the larger total (candies) must give the larger per-child amount, so the final step is a simple subtraction of the two shares.
1STEP 1
Crackers per child
Share 20 crackers equally among 4 children by dividing — each child gets 5.
20 ÷ 4 = 5
Dividing a total into equal groups tells how many each child receives.
3.OA.A.2Identify Subproblems2STEP 2
Candies per child
Share 28 candies equally among the same 4 children by dividing — each child gets 7.
28 ÷ 4 = 7
The same equal-sharing idea applies; a bigger total split the same way gives a bigger share.
3.OA.A.2Identify SubproblemsSharing the 28 candies equally among the 4 children gives each child 7 candies.
Why?
Splitting 28 into 4 equal shares means looking for a share size that, taken 4 times, builds back up to 28.
Why?
Four equal groups of 7 counted all together make 28, so 7 is exactly the size each of the 4 shares must be.
🧱Multiplication as equal groupsa times b means a equal groups of b — it is just repeated adding of the same amount.
Why?
Division hands us that share size straight away, because dividing just undoes the equal grouping that multiplication builds.
🧱Inverse operationsSubtraction undoes addition and division undoes multiplication — they reverse each other.
3STEP 3
Compare the two shares
Subtract the crackers-per-child from the candies-per-child to find how many more candies each child gets: 2 more.
7 - 5 = 2
"How many more" is found by subtracting the smaller amount from the larger one.
3.OA.A.3Analyze The UnitsAnswer
2 candies
7 - 5 = 2
Each child gets 5 crackers and 7 candies; 7 is indeed 2 more than 5. Checking totals: 5 times 4 is 20 crackers and 7 times 4 is 28 candies, both correct. The larger pile (candies) gives the larger share, as expected.
Takeaway
Share each pile out, then compare the shares: Grade 3 division and subtraction is all it takes!
- Crackers per child
- Candies per child
- Compare the two shares
Where next?
Level upsuggested
Another one like thissuggested
Step back and solidifysuggested