Multiplication or division of whole numbers

Problem 1:

Each student in a class receives 12 sketch pens. If there are 60 students in the class, how many sketch pens are needed?

Step 1:

The number of sketch pens each student receives = 12

The number of students in the class = 60

Step 2:

This is clearly a multiplication problem.

So, the total number of sketch pens needed

= 60 × 12 = 720

Problem 2:

Ms. Capri’s students have written a total of 425 essays. If each essay contained 500 words, how many total words were in all the essays?

Step 1:

The number of essays written by students = 425

The number of words in each essay = 500

Step 2:

This is clearly a multiplication problem.

So, the total number of words in all essays

= 425 × 500 = 212500

Problem 3:

An auditorium contains 3000 seats. There are 100 rows. How many seats are on each row?

Step 1:

The seats in each row is given by the division sentence 3000 ÷ 100

So this is clearly a division problem

Step 2:

Using multiplication facts

30 × 100 = 3000

3000 ÷ 100 = 30

So the seats in each row in the auditorium = 30