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Multiplicative Comparison: “Times As Many”

Fourth graders learn to solve “times as many” comparison problems — understanding that “4 times as many” means multiply — a key step in reasoning about multiplication.

Grade 4Comparison50 minutes1 class periodGradual ReleaseExplicit teaching4 StandardsCommon Core
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Understand “times as many.”
  • ✓Multiply to solve comparisons.
  • ✓Tell it apart from “more than.”
  • ✓Write a comparison equation.
Essential Question

If Ben has 4 TIMES as many stickers as Maya, is that a lot more? “Times as many” is a special comparison — and it means multiply!

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Model · Interactive Tool

Times As Many

Project each problem and have students solve the comparison. The tool shows how “times as many” means multiply.

✖️ Solve each “times as many” problemTry it
Solve each multiplicative comparison.
The Lesson · Gradual Release (I Do · We Do · You Do)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Launch — Times As Many

5 min

Ben has 4 TIMES as many as Maya — how do we figure that out?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pose a “times as many” problem.
  • Ask what operation to use.
  • Set the goal: comparison.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Read the problem.
  • Wonder how.
  • Predict multiply.
2

I Do — Compare by Multiplying

10 min

Teacher models.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • “Times as many” means multiply.
  • Contrast with “more than” (add).
  • Write the equation.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Learn the rule.
  • See the contrast.
  • Write it.
3

We Do — Solve Together

13 min

Class uses Times As Many.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Solve each comparison.
  • Explain why multiply.
  • Write the equation.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Solve each.
  • Explain it.
  • Write it.
4

You Do — On Your Own

12 min

Students solve.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Solve comparison problems.
  • Tell times-as-many from more-than.
  • Write equations.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Solve them.
  • Tell them apart.
  • Write equations.
5

Close — Close

5 min

One comparison.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Give a comparison problem.
  • Solve it.
  • Hand out the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Solve it.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

CCSS
4.OA.1

Interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison.

CCSS
4.OA.2

Multiply or divide to solve word problems involving multiplicative comparison.

CCSS
4.OA.3

Solve multistep word problems.

SMP
MP.2

Reason about quantities and their relationships.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Draw the comparison with bars.
  • Sentence frame: “___ times as many as ___ is ___.”
  • Use counters.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Use small numbers.
  • Draw groups.
  • Contrast add vs. multiply.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Solve two-step comparisons.
  • Write a comparison problem.
  • Compare in reverse (how many times?).
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🔵Counters
  • 💻Times As Many
  • 📐Bar models
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

multiplicative comparisoncomparing with “times as many”times as manymultiply to comparemultiplyto add equal groupsproductthe answer to multiplicationfactora number multipliedcomparesee how amounts relateequationa math sentence with =more thana difference you add
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What does “5 times as many” mean you should do?
Multiply by 5.
QUESTION 2
Sara read 2 books. Tom read 3 times as many. How many did Tom read?
6 books.
QUESTION 3
Is “4 times as many” solved by adding or multiplying?
Multiplying.

Going deeper? How many times?

Have students work backward — if one amount is 12 and another is 3, how many TIMES as many is the first? A printable comparison sheet is in the Math library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Multiplicative ComparisonFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Multiplicative ComparisonQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Multiplicative ComparisonPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: compare, equation, factor, more than, multiplicative comparison, multiply, product, times as many
  1. to add equal groups
  2. a difference you add
  3. the answer to multiplication
  4. a math sentence with =
  5. multiply to compare
  6. see how amounts relate
  7. comparing with “times as many”
  8. a number multiplied

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does “5 times as many” mean you should do?
  2. Sara read 2 books. Tom read 3 times as many. How many did Tom read?
  3. Is “4 times as many” solved by adding or multiplying?
Answer key — Part A: 1) multiply · 2) more than · 3) product · 4) equation · 5) times as many · 6) compare · 7) multiplicative comparison · 8) factor
Part B: 1) Multiply by 5. 2) 6 books. 3) Multiplying.