Becoming a Good Test Taker Using Strategies: Draw a Picture Make a Model Make an Organized List or Table

Objectives: Students will be able to draw a picture to visualize a problem and then solve. Students will be able to make a model to represent a problem and then solve. Students will be able to make a table to organize a problem and then solve.

Drawing a Picture Question 1: What is the perimeter of a rectangle whose length is twice its width, and whose width is 15 inches? How could we draw a picture to help us?

First, we can draw the rectangle and label its widths 15 inches.

Next we can figure out how much the lengths are. The length is twice the width. What would the lengths be? 15 15

Twice the width would be two times 15 inches, or 30 inches.

Now we can find the perimeter. What would the rectangle’s perimeter be? 30 15 15 30

Making a Model Question 2: Find two fractions equivalent to 2/3. How could we create a model to help us?

First, we can draw a model of what 2/3 looks like. What could we do next?

To find an equivalent fraction to 2/3, we can divide each third in half. Now we have the rectangle divided into sixths. How many sixths equal 2/3?

To find another equivalent fraction to 2/3, we can divide each third into three sections. Now we have the rectangle divided into ninths. How many ninths equal 2/3?

We have now found two fractions equivalent to 2/3! 2/3 = 4/6 = 6/9

Making a Table Question 3: 25 students took a survey about what their favorite pet was. Each student answered only one type of animal. Twelve students said that a cat was their favorite animal. Half of that number of students said a dog was their favorite animal. Half of that number of students said a fish was their favorite animal. One less than that number of students said a hamster was their favorite animal. How many students prefer parakeets? How could we make a table to help us solve this problem?

First, we can fill in that 12 students picked a cat as their favorite animal.

Since half of that number prefer dogs, what should we fill in for the number of students who like dogs? 12

Since half of that number prefer fish, what should we fill in for the number of students who like fish? 12 6

Since one less than that number of students said a hamster was their favorite animal, how many students picked hamster? 12 6 3

Now we can use the table to figure out how many students picked parakeet as their favorite pet. If there were 25 students taking the survey, how many must have picked parakeets? 12 6 2 3

Summary: When we need help solving a problem, we can: draw a picture to visualize a problem make a model to represent a problem make a table to organize a problem