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Grade 5 tools

40 tools for grade 5 contests, in the order we teach them. Start at Tool #1.

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40 lessons

Tool #1 · Geometry: area

Whole Minus Part

Don't Measure the Weird Shape

Tool #2 · Algebra readiness

Swap It

Too Many Unknowns? Swap One Out

Tool #3 · Number theory

Test Before You Count

Is 91 Prime? Test With 2, 3, 5, 7

Tool #4 · Number sense

Push to the Extreme

How Big Can the Biggest Pile Be?

Tool #5 · Cycles and mod

Find the Cycle

What Day Is It 100 Days From Now?

Tool #6 · Statistics

Averages Into Totals

Never Average the Averages

Tool #7 · Bar models

Blocks for What's Left

The Fraction Trap Almost Everyone Falls For

Tool #8 · Algebra

Two Ways to Group

Two Seating Plans, One Answer

Tool #9 · Counting

Count a Digit by Place

How Many 7s From 1 to 100?

Tool #10 · Rates

One Unit First

Why 2 h 50 min Is Wrong

Tool #11 · Algebra readiness

Pretend All the Same

Chickens and Cows Without Guessing

Tool #12 · Geometry: counting

The Triangle Rule

Can 1, 5 and 9 Make a Triangle?

Tool #13 · Counting

Count Each Pair Once

8 Friends Shake Hands. It's Not 56

Tool #14 · Logic

Worst Case

Socks in the Dark: Plan for Bad Luck

Tool #15 · Counting

Glue It

Two Kids Must Sit Together. Now Count

Tool #16 · Patterns

First Plus Last

Count a Pattern Without Listing It

Tool #17 · Bar models

Keep the Gap

The Age Puzzle Trick: The Gap Never Moves

Tool #18 · Number sense

Ones Column First

Letters Hiding Digits? Start Here

Tool #19 · Problem reading

Circle the Ask

You Did the Math Right. Still Wrong?

Tool #20 · Bar models

Keep the Total

Move Some Marbles, Make Them Equal

Tool #21 · Logic

Neither First

The Venn Number Everyone Skips

Tool #22 · Number sense

Reverse the Digits

Flip the Digits, Find the Number

Tool #23 · Number theory

Factor Pairs

36 Desks in Equal Rows: How Many Ways?

Tool #24 · Counting

Pickiest Box First

Why 5 x 4 x 2 Is Wrong

Tool #25 · Counting

Biggest Coin First

How Many Ways to Make 25 Cents?

Tool #26 · Geometry: counting

Count by Size

A 3 by 3 Grid Has More Than 9 Squares

Tool #27 · Counting

Count the Digits

120 Pages. How Many Digits? It's Not 360

Tool #28 · Counting

Zero Split

Zero Breaks the Count. Here's the Fix

Tool #29 · Rates

Round Trip Speed

12 mph There, 6 mph Back. It's Not 9

Tool #30 · Bar models

Smaller Is One Block

1/3 as Many, 48 Together. It's Not 16

Tool #31 · Counting

Organized List

5 Stairs, Hops of 1 or 2. It's Not 6

Tool #32 · Number theory

Prime Factor Split

210 Cubes, How Many Boxes? Not Just 1

Tool #33 · Geometry: circles

Half the Circle

Camper 7 Is Across From 25. How Many?

Tool #34 · Patterns

Find the Rule

Figure 12 Has How Many Squares? Not 53

Tool #35 · Division word problems

Smallest Batch Wins

40 Eggs, 64 Cups of Flour. How Many Batches?

Tool #36 · Logic

Logic Grid

Who Does Judo? A Grid Solves It

Tool #37 · Geometry: area

Count the Sides

8 Tiles, Perimeter 48. Area? It's Not 288

Tool #38 · Number sense

Take Away the Leftover

86 Chairs, 6 Rows, 8 Left Over. It's Not 14

Tool #39 · Algebra readiness

Work Backwards

Add 6, Double, Take 5, Get 35. Start?

Tool #40 · Algebra readiness

Add All the Pairs

Pets Weighed in Pairs. Total? Not 94

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