Grade
5

Mobile Math: 14 & 20

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

This mobile has a total value of 14 and is balanced between 2 strings. The left string has 3 squares. The right string has 2 circles and 3 hexagons. The shape values are unknown.

What is one set of possible values for the shapes?

If the hexagon has a value of 1/2, and the whole mobile is 14, what would the value of the other shapes be? How do you know?

What are other possible values for the set of shapes if the total value is 14?

The total value of the mobile is now 20. If all shapes have values that are fractions or mixed-numbers, what is one possible set of values for the shapes?

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Reference for Educators

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