Question Video: Understanding the Difference between Multiplicative and Additive Comparison in Word Problems Mathematics • 4th Grade

Video Transcript

Select the problem that can be solved by the addition equation 26 plus 12 equals 38. In the morning, 26 boats set sail from a harbor. In the afternoon, 12 times as many boats set sail than in the morning. How many boats set sail in the afternoon? Or in the morning, 26 boats set sail from a harbor. In the afternoon, 12 more boats set sail. How many boats are sailing by the afternoon?

The question is asking which problem matches the addition equation 26 add 12 equals 38. Both problems begin with 26 boats in the harbor in the morning. The first problem tells us that, in the afternoon, 12 times as many boats set sail than in the morning. That would mean timesing or multiplying 26 by 12. But our addition equation means we need to add 12.

The second problem tells us there were 26 boats in the morning, and in the afternoon 12 more boats set sail. 26 add 12 is another way of saying 26 and 12 more. So this is the problem which matches the addition equation 26 add 12.