Ses3 Structures PPT 0709

Structures of Proportionality
Problems
Krisan Stone, VMP

Leslie Ercole, VMP
Marge Petit, Marge Petit Consulting
(MPC)
Modified October
2008
Original materials created as a part of the Vermont Mathematics Partnership Ongoing Assessment
Project (OGAP) funded by NSF (EHR-0227057) and US DOE (S366A020002)
OGAP Proportionality Framework

Structures of Problems
Mathematical Topics Other Structures

And Contexts
Evidence in Student Work to Inform Instruction
Proportional Transitional Non-proportional Underlying

Strategies Proportional Reasoning Issues, Errors,
Strategies Misconceptions
October 2008 Version 12.0 Vermont Mathematics Partnership (funded by the National 2
Science Foundation EHR-0227057 and the US Department of Education S366A020002)
1
Structure of the problems
that students solve
Structure refers to –
how the problems are
built
Structures of Proportionality Problems
• Multiplicative relationships in a problem (Karplus, Polus, & Stage,

1983; VMP OGAP Pilots, 2006)
• Context (Heller, Post, & Behr, 1985; Karpus, Polus, & Stage, 1983)
• Types of problems (Lamon, 1993)
• Complexity of the numbers (Harel & Behr, 1993)
• Meaning of quantities as defined by the
context and the units (Silver, 2006 Vermont meeting; VMP OGAP Pilots, 2006)
2
A Research Finding
When the multiplicative relationships in a

proportional situation are integral, it is easier for
students to solve than when they are non-integral.
(Cramer, Post, & Currier, 1993; Karplus, Polus, & Stage, 1983; VMP OGAP Pilots, 2006)
Multiplicative Relationships
Carrie is packing apples. It takes 3 boxes to

pack 2 bushels of apples. How many boxes will
she need to pack 8 bushels of apples?
Non-integral Integral
multiplicative multiplicative
relationship
3 boxes x boxes relationship
=
2 bushels 8 bushels
3

pack 2 bushels of apples. How many boxes will
she need to pack 8 bushels of apples?
Non-integral
multiplicative Integral
relationship multiplicative
relationship
3 boxes 2 bushels
=
x boxes 8 bushels
What are the multiplicative

relationships in this
proportional situation?
Carrie is packing apples for an orchard’s mail

order business. It takes 3 boxes to pack 2
bushels of apples. How many boxes will she
need to pack 7 bushels of apples?
4
A Research Finding
When the multiplicative relationships in a

proportional situation are both non-integral then
students have more difficulty and often revert
back to non-proportional reasoning and
strategies. (Cramer, Post, & Currier, 1993; Karplus, Polus, & Stage, 1983; VMP OGAP Pilots, 2006)

Science Foundation EHR-0227057 and the US Department of Education S366A020002) 0
5
Case Study - Multiplicative Relationships
(VMP Pilot Study, Grade 7 Students, n=153)
• Three similar problems administered across a one week period

(Monday, pilot 1; Wednesday, pilot 2; and Friday, pilot 3)
• Main difference between the problems is the multiplicative
relationship within and between figures.
PILOT 1: A school is enlarging its playground. The dimensions of

the new playground are proportional to the dimensions of the old
playground. What is the length of the new playground?
40 ft.
120 ft.
80 ft.
Student Work Analysis

(n=6 students)
Part 1
• Solve each problem.
• Identify the multiplicative relationship within and between
the figures.
• Anticipate difficulties that students might have when solving
each problem.
Part 2
Discussion with a partner:
• Identify the multiplicative or additive relationship evidenced
in the student response (e.g., x 3, between figures; + 6, within figures).
• Place your analysis in the cell that corresponds with the
student number and pilot number in the table on page 3.
• Complete Discussion Questions on page 3.
6
Multiplicative Relationships Study:
Discussion Questions
• What did you see that you expected?
• What surprised you?
• What are the implications for instruction

and assessment?
OGAP Study Findings

(2006 Pilot, n=153)
Multiplicative Relationships Percent of Correct

within and between figures Responses
Pilot 1 Both integral 80%
Pilot 2 One integral, one non-integral 65%
Pilot 3 Both non-integral 35.5%
7

Context Matters
• More familiar contexts tend to be easier for

students than unfamiliar contexts. (Cramer, Post, & Currier, 1993)
• How proportionality shows up in different contexts

impacts difficulty. (Harel, & Behr, 1993)
8
Context Matters
Which contexts might be more familiar to students?
How does proportionality show up in these different contexts?
• The scale factor relating two similar rectangles is 1.5. One side of
the larger rectangle is 18 inches. How long is the corresponding
side of the smaller rectangle?
• Nate’s shower uses 4 gallons of water per minute. How much

water does Nate use when he takes a 15 minute shower?
• A 20-ounce box of Toasty Oats costs $3.00. A 15-ounce box of

Toasty Oats costs $2.10. Which box costs less per ounce?
Explain your reasoning.

9
Types of Problems
• Ratio
• Rate
• Rate and ratio comparisons
• Missing value
• Scale factor
• Qualitative questions
• Non- proportional
Types of Problems
Ratio – is a comparison Rate – A rate is a special

of any two like quantities ratio. Its denominator is
(same unit). always 1.
The ratio of boys to girls is 1:2. $5.00 per hour

The ratio of people with brown $3.00 per pound
eyes to blue eyes is 1:4. 25 horses per acre
10
Types of Problems: Ratio
Relationships - Part : Part or Part : Whole
Referents - Implied or Explicit
Dana and Jamie ran for student council president at Midvale Middle School. The
data below represents the voting results for grade 7.
7th Grade Votes

Jamie Dana
Boys 24 40
Girls 49 20
John says that the ratio of the 7th grade boys who voted for Jamie to the 7th
grade students who voted for Jamie is about 1:2. Mary disagreed. Mary says it is
about 1:3. Who is correct? Explain your answer.
Types of Problems: Ratio Missing Value

Relationships - Part : Part or Part : Whole
Referents - Implied or Explicit
There are red and blue marbles in a bag.

The ratio of red marbles to blue marbles is 1:2.
If there are 10 blue marbles in the bag, how
many red marbles are in the bag?
11
Types of Problems: Rate Missing Value
What are the meanings of the quantities in this problem?

What is the meaning of the answer?
Leslie drove at an average speed of 55 mph for 4 hours.

How far did Leslie drive?
Types of Problems: Rate Comparison
What is the general structure of rate comparison problems?
• A 20-ounce box of Toasty Oats costs $3.00. A 15-ounce box

of Toasty Oats costs $2.10. Which box costs less per ounce?
Explain your reasoning.
• Big Horn Ranch raises 100 horses on 150 acres of pasture.

Jefferson Ranch raises 75 horses on 125 acres of pasture.
Which ranch has more acres of pasture per horse? Explain
your answer using words, pictures, or diagrams.
12
Case Study - Meaning of the Quantities
In Part I of this case study, you will analyze 4 student
solutions to Ranch problem. The solutions represent the
kinds of “quantity interpretation” errors that students
make when they solve rate comparison problems.
Big Horn Ranch raises 100 horses on 150 acres of pasture.

Jefferson Ranch raises 75 horses on 125 acres of pasture.
Which ranch has more acres of pasture per horse? Explain
your answer using words, pictures, or diagrams.
In pairs, analyze the student solutions and then respond

to the following.
• What is the evidence that the student may not be
interpreting the meaning of the quantities in the
problem?
• Suggest some questions you might ask each student
or activities you might do to help them understand the
meaning of the quantities in the problem and the
solution.
13
What evidence is there of

the student’s understanding
of both the meaning of the
quantities in the problem
and in the solution?
Types of Problems: Missing Value
What is the general structure

of a missing value problem?

pack 2 bushels of apples. How many boxes
will she need to pack 8 bushels of apples?
14
A Research Finding
The location of the missing value may affect performance. (Harel, & Behr,1993)
Carrie is packing apples for an orchard’s mail order business.

It takes 3 boxes to pack 2 bushels of apples.
How many boxes will she need to pack 7 bushels of apples?
Carrie is packing apples for an orchard’s mail order business.

It takes 3 boxes to pack 2 bushels of apples. She needs 7
bushels of apples packed. How many boxes will she need?
Internal Structure OGAP Proportionality Framework
Research Applications
Paul’s dog eats 15 pounds of food in

18 days. How long will it take Paul’s
dog to eat 45 pound bag of food?
Explain your thinking.
Change this problem to make it

easier, and then harder.
15
Structures of The Problems
A school is enlarging its playground. The dimensions of the new
playground are proportional to the old playground. What is the
measurement of the missing length of the new playground?
Show your work.
Old Playground New Playground
90 ft. 110 ft.
630 ft.
What type of problem is

this similarity problem? OGAP Proportionality Framework
What type of problem is

this similarity problem?
The dimension of 4 rectangles are given

below. Which two rectangles are similar?
• 2” x 8”
• 4” x 10”
• 6” x 12”
• 6” x 15”
16
What is the general structure of
scale factor problems?
Jack built a scale model of the John Hancock Center. His model was
2.25 feet tall. The John Hancock Center in Chicago is 1476 feet tall.
How many feet of the real building does one foot on the scale model
represent? Be sure to show all of your work.
The scale factor relating two similar rectangles is 1.5.

One side of the larger rectangle is 18 inches. How long
is the corresponding side of the smaller rectangle?
The scale factor relating two similar rectangles is

1.5. One side of the larger rectangle is 18 inches.
How long is the corresponding side of the smaller
rectangle?
If a student was unable to solve this

problem successfully, what variables
would you change to make it more
accessible? Why?
17
A Research Finding
Students should interact with

qualitative predictive and comparison
questions as they are developing their
proportional reasoning…. (Lamon,1993)
Types of Problems: Qualitative

Why do you think researchers suggest
these types of problems as important
stepping stones?
• Kim ran more laps than Bob. Kim ran her laps in
less time than Bob ran his laps. Who ran faster?
• If Kim ran fewer laps in more time than she did

yesterday, would her running speed be: A) faster;
B) slower; C) exactly the same; D) not enough
information.
18
A Research Finding
Students need to see examples of

proportional and non-proportional
situations so they can determine when it
is appropriate to use a multiplicative
solution strategy. (Cramer, Post, & Currier, 1993)
Solve these problems

(Cramer, Post, & Currier, 1993)
Sue and Julie were

running equally fast
3 U.S. dollars can be
around a track. Sue
exchanged for 2 British
started first. When she
pounds. How many
had run 9 laps, Julie had
pounds for $21 U.S.
run 3 laps. When Julie
dollars?
completed 15 laps, how
many laps had Sue run?
19
A Research Finding
A Classic Non-proportional Example
(Cramer, Post, & Currier, 1993)
Sue and Julie were running equally

fast around a track. Sue Started first.
When she had run 9 laps, Julie had
run 3 laps. When Julie completed 15
laps, how many laps had Sue run?
22 out of 33 undergraduate students

treated this as a proportional relationship.
A Contrasting Research Finding
Three U.S. dollars can be exchanged for 2 British

pounds. How many pounds for 21 U.S. dollars?
• Same group – 100% solved it correctly

using traditional proportional algorithm.
• No one in the same group could explain
why this is a proportional relationship
while the “running laps” is not.
20
Case Study - Proportional and Non-proportional??
(VMP Pilot Study, ???)
Kim and Bob were running equally fast

around a track. Kim started first. When
she had run 9 laps, Bob had run 3 laps.
When Bob completed 15 laps, how
many laps had Kim run?
Do student work sort!
Vermont Version Grade 6(n= 82)
Kim and Bob were running equally fast around a track. Kim
started first. When she had run 9 laps, Bob had run 3 laps.
When Bob completed 15 laps, how many laps had Kim run?
• 39/82 (48%) solved as a proportion

• 33/82 (40%) solved as an additive situation
• 10/82 (12%) non-starters
What are the instructional implications?
21
Elements of a Proportional Structure
That Affect Performance
• Problem types (comparison, missing value, etc.)

• Mathematical topics/contexts (scaling, similarity, etc.)
• Multiplicative relationships (integral or non-integral)
• Meaning of quantities (ratio relationships and ratio referents)
• Type of numbers used (integer vs. non-integer)
No wonder proportions are

tough to teach and learn.
What Are the Hallmarks of a

Proportional Reasoner?
• Recognizes the nature of proportional relationships,

• Finds an efficient method based on multiplicative reasoning to
solve problems,
• Represents the quantities in the solution with units that reflect
the meaning of the quantities for the problem situation.
Ultimately, a proportional reasoner should not be deterred by

structures, such as context, problem types, the quantities in the
problems. (Cramer, Post, & Currier, 1993; Silver, 2006)
22
Activity: Analyzing Pre-Assessment Tasks
Analyze each of the tasks for:

• Problem types
• Mathematical topics/contexts (scaling, similarity, etc.)
• Multiplicative Relationships (integral or non-integral)
• Ratio Relationships (part:whole or part:part) and referents
(implied or implicit - if applicable)
• Type of numbers used (integer or non-integer)
• Internal Structure (parallel or non-parallel)
General Directions:
Administering the OGAP Pre-assessment
• Administer the pre-assessment and bring a set of 20 to 25 to our

next session
• Calculators are not allowed
• Tips for students
• Time
• Level of teacher assistance
• Do not analyze student work before our next meeting
23

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Structures of Proportionality

Krisan Stone, VMP

OGAP Proportionality Framework

Mathematical Topics Other Structures

Evidence in Student Work to Inform Instruction

Proportional Transitional Non-proportional Underlying

Structures of Proportionality Problems

• Multiplicative relationships in a problem (Karplus, Polus, & Stage,

When the multiplicative relationships in a

OGAP Proportionality Framework

Carrie is packing apples. It takes 3 boxes to

Carrie is packing apples. It takes 3 boxes to

What are the multiplicative

Carrie is packing apples for an orchard’s mail

When the multiplicative relationships in a

OGAP Proportionality Framework

Structures of Proportionality Problems

• Multiplicative relationships in a problem (Karplus, Polus, & Stage,

• Three similar problems administered across a one week period

PILOT 1: A school is enlarging its playground. The dimensions of

Student Work Analysis

• What did you see that you expected?

• What surprised you?

• What are the implications for instruction

OGAP Study Findings

Multiplicative Relationships Percent of Correct

Pilot 1 Both integral 80%

Pilot 2 One integral, one non-integral 65%

Pilot 3 Both non-integral 35.5%

• Multiplicative relationships in a problem (Karplus, Polus, & Stage,

• More familiar contexts tend to be easier for

• How proportionality shows up in different contexts

• Nate’s shower uses 4 gallons of water per minute. How much

• A 20-ounce box of Toasty Oats costs $3.00. A 15-ounce box of

Structures of Proportionality Problems

• Multiplicative relationships in a problem (Karplus, Polus, & Stage,

Ratio – is a comparison Rate – A rate is a special

The ratio of boys to girls is 1:2. $5.00 per hour

7th Grade Votes

Types of Problems: Ratio Missing Value

There are red and blue marbles in a bag.

What are the meanings of the quantities in this problem?

Leslie drove at an average speed of 55 mph for 4 hours.

Types of Problems: Rate Comparison

What is the general structure of rate comparison problems?

• A 20-ounce box of Toasty Oats costs $3.00. A 15-ounce box

• Big Horn Ranch raises 100 horses on 150 acres of pasture.

Big Horn Ranch raises 100 horses on 150 acres of pasture.

Case Study - Meaning of the Quantities

In pairs, analyze the student solutions and then respond

What evidence is there of

Types of Problems: Missing Value

What is the general structure

Carrie is packing apples. It takes 3 boxes to

Carrie is packing apples for an orchard’s mail order business.

Carrie is packing apples for an orchard’s mail order business.

Internal Structure OGAP Proportionality Framework

Paul’s dog eats 15 pounds of food in