Grade
5

Same & Different: Cubism

Look at the two pictures of rectangular prisms. What do you notice?

A: Two rectangular prisms. One is 6 cubes by 3 cubes by 2 cubes. The other is 4 cubes by 2 cubes by 3 cubes. Both have alternating blue and green vertical layers. B: One rectangular prism, 4 cubes by 3 cubes by 5 cubes. Horizontal layers alternate orange and yellow.
  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. Make a third picture of a rectangular prism, or prisms. Explain how your picture is the same as pictures A and B, and how it is different.
Printable Version

Google doc for printing and copying

Reference for Educators

Sample problems and solutions