Education Technology


Aim High, Aim Low

Activity Overview

Students will explore patterns related to place value in calculations.

Before the Activity

  • See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
  • Print pages 5 - 8 from the attached PDF file for your class
  • During the Activity

    Distribute the pages to the class.

    Follow the activity procedures:

  • Enter 5 single-digit numbers and use each digit once to create a problem containing a one-digit number multiplied by a four-digit number
  • Interchange the digits and record the products each time
  • Estimate the largest possible product for the problem
  • Understand that the largest digits should be used in the largest place value positions to maximize the product
  • Realize that the smallest digits should be used in the largest place value positions to minimize the product
  • After the Activity

    Students complete the Student Activity pages and list the largest and smallest possible answers for each combination of numbers.

  • Review student results
  • As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
  • Re-teach concepts as necessary