 | About the task | CCSSM Alignment | Part a | Part b | Scoring |  |
This two-part task is visually appealing and accessible to all students, using drag-and-drop technology to connect a rectangular array with multiplication concepts and properties. The task involves mathematical modeling as students move between concrete and symbolic representations (MP.4) and mathematical structure as they use the Distributive Property to decompose multiplication equations and decompose area models into manageable pieces to make sense of the situation (MP.7)—thus making it a “practice-forward” task.
In Part a, students use the drag-and-drop format to create a number sentence that could be used to determine the area.
In Part b, students demonstrate a deeper understanding of multiplication and its structure through recognizing the value of the Distributive Property in solving this multiplication problem. Using tiles that contain number expressions to build an equation that represents the model is an engaging way to assess students’ foundational understanding of properties of multiplication.
An innovative feature of this task is that it elicits modeling and reasoning about structure, yet is entirely machine scorable without losing any important data about students’ mathematical thinking. The drag-and-drop technology allows students to experiment with their ideas before submitting their answer.
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