Model and Write Division Equations from Word Problems
Model and Write Division Equations from Word Problems is a Grade 3 math skill from Eureka Math combining tape diagram modeling with formal equation writing. Students read a word problem, draw a tape diagram showing the total divided into equal groups, then write the corresponding division equation: Total ÷ (known value) = (unknown value). For example, '24 stickers shared among 6 children' becomes a diagram with 6 equal sections and the equation 24 ÷ 6 = 4. This two-step process builds the connection between real-world situations, visual models, and symbolic division.
Key Concepts
A division word problem can be represented by a tape diagram and a corresponding division equation. The equation takes the form $Total \div (\text{known value}) = (\text{unknown value})$. The tape diagram visually breaks the total into equal groups.
Common Questions
How do you model a division word problem with a tape diagram?
Draw a rectangle (the total). Divide it into the number of groups from the problem. Label each section. The unknown is either the number of sections or the amount in each section.
What division equation matches a tape diagram showing 30 divided into 5 equal groups?
30 ÷ 5 = 6. The total (30) is the dividend, the number of groups (5) is the divisor, and the unknown group size (6) is the quotient.
What are the parts of a division equation?
Total (dividend) ÷ known value (divisor) = unknown value (quotient). In word problems, the known and unknown values depend on what the problem gives and what it asks.
Why draw a tape diagram before writing the equation?
The diagram makes the problem's structure visible: what is the whole, how many parts, and what is unknown. This visual clarity prevents setting up the equation incorrectly.
In which textbook is Model and Write Division Equations from Word Problems taught?
This skill is taught in Eureka Math, Grade 3.