Grade
5

Same & Different: Lady Lightning

Lady Lightning is the most powerful superhero in the Universe. She spends a lot of her time helping animals.

Look at the two problems. What do you notice?

A: She helped at the zoo by moving a walrus and a leatherback turtle to their new homes. The walrus weighs 5-fourths of a ton. The turtle weighs 2-thirds of a ton. If Lady Lightning moves both at the same time, how many tons is she carrying? B: She went looking for a bald eagle friend of hers and flew two and three-fourth's miles straight up, which was too far. She waved to a small plane, and then flew back down five-sixths of a mile to see the bald eagle. How many miles above earth is she now?
  1. How are pictures A and B mathematically the same, and how are they different?
    • A and B are the same because …
    • A and B are different because …
  2. Write a third story problem about Lady Lightning or another superhero that includes fractions. Explain how your story is the same as problems A and B, and how it is different.
Printable Version

Google doc for printing and copying

Reference for Educators

Sample problems and solutions