Grade
4

Mobile Math: Find the Values

Look at the mobile below. What do you notice? What do you wonder? What do you know?

A balanced mobile has 2 strings. The left string has 4 purple circles. The right string has 2 red squares. The shape values are unknown.

What is one set of possible values for the shapes?

  • What would the value of 1 circle be, if 1 square has a value of 30? How do you know?
  • What would the value of 1 square be, if 1 circle has a value of 200? How do you know?

What are other possible values for the set of shapes? What patterns or rules do you notice?

If the values for the shapes were fractions, instead of whole numbers, what could the value of each shape be?

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Reference for Educators

Sample problems and solutions