Making necklaces

Making necklaces

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about working out decimals.
 
Complete the table below to give the number of each coloured bead in each necklace.
 

Instructions to make each necklace

Necklace A

Total of 20 beads of which

  • 0.1 are red
  • 0.6 are blue
  • 0.3 are green
 

Necklace B

Total of 20 beads of which

  • 0.15 are red
  • 0.6 are green
  • 0.25 are black
 

Necklace C

Total of 25 beads of which

  • 0.6 are red
  • 0.08 are blue
  • 0.2 are green
  • 0.12 are black

 

Table to Record Answers

  Necklace
Number of each
coloured bead
 A B C
Red
 
 
    
Blue
 
 
    
Green
 
 
    
Black
 
 
    
Task administration: 
This task requires physical space for students to move around and equipment.
 
Equipment: Coloured beads - 25 each of red, blue, green, and black; threaders (e.g., string or fishing line); worksheet including instructions for each necklace and a table to record answers.
  • No calculators are allowed.
  • Teacher says to students

I would like you to make three different necklaces out of coloured beads. The instructions for each necklace will tell you

  1. the total number of beads, and
  2. how many of each colour there should be, written as a decimal.

Thread the beads, then record the number of each colour in the table.

Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
Maths, Number and Algebra, Number Strategies
Keywords: 
decimals, multiplication
Description of task: 
This practical task requires students to determine the number of different coloured beads needed to thread onto a necklace by interpreting different decimals.
Curriculum Links: 
 
This resource can help to identify students' ability to apply multiplicative strategies flexibly to whole numbers, ratios and equivalent fractions (including decimals and percentages).
 
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Multiplicative thinking, sets 6-7
within the Mathematics Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 

 

See Percentages of beads and Making necklaces II for equivalent practical resources on percentages and fractions respectively.