Problem of the Week - Upper Elementary - Jan. 17, 2021 to Jan. 23, 2021

A Day to Commemorate the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Upper Elementary: 

Question: Luke says he saw a piranha that was 4¾ inches long. Howard says he saw a piranha that was 4.7 inches long. Who saw the bigger piranha? 

Answer: Luke

Solution: One way to solve this problem is to write both measurements as decimals. Since ¼ is equal to 0.25, ¾ must be equal to 0.25 + 0.25 + 0.25 = 0.75. That means that a piranha that is 4¾ inches long is 4.75 inches long. Since 4.75 is greater than 4.7, Luke saw the bigger piranha.