Activity Database

Search
Activity Authors
Activity Circles
Click To Sort By
Grade
Topics
Supporting Materials
Session Styles
Mathematical Practices

One, Two, Three, Four: Building Numbers with Four Operations

By:


What numbers can you make with 1, 2, 3, and 4, using the operations of addition, subtraction, and multiplication? Work on these problems builds arithmetic fluency and provides opportunities to identify patterns, develop and defend arguments, and create conjectures. This investigation also highlights how thin the boundary is between a fun warm-up activity for fifth graders and deep questions investigated by research mathematicians!