Let’s go through each problem one by one. We’ll solve them step by step and check our work carefully.
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Problem 1:
> A foot is about 30.5 cm. A basketball court is 50 ft wide. How many cm wide is this? How many meters wide?
We are told:
- 1 foot = 30.5 cm
- Court width = 50 feet
To find cm:
Multiply 50 × 30.5
→ 50 × 30 = 1500
→ 50 × 0.5 = 25
→ Total = 1500 + 25 =
1525 cm
To convert cm to meters:
Divide by 100 (since 100 cm = 1 m)
→ 1525 ÷ 100 =
15.25 meters
✔ Check: 50 × 30.5 = 1525 → correct. 1525 ÷ 100 = 15.25 → correct.
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Problem 2:
> A sailfish can swim at speeds of 31.4 meters per second. How far could it travel in a minute?
We know:
- Speed = 31.4 meters/second
- Time = 1 minute = 60 seconds
Distance = speed × time
→ 31.4 × 60
Break it down:
30 × 60 = 1800
1.4 × 60 = 84
Total = 1800 + 84 =
1884 meters
✔ Check: 31.4 × 60 = 1884 → correct.
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Problem 3:
> A pint is 568 ml. How many ml in 2 gallons? How many liters is this?
Wait — here’s the trick! The problem says “a pint is 568 ml” but then asks about
gallons. There’s no direct conversion given from pints to gallons or gallons to ml. So we cannot solve this with only the info given — unless we’re expected to know that 1 gallon = 8 pints (which is true in UK measurements, since 568 ml is a UK pint).
Assuming UK units:
- 1 gallon = 8 pints
- So 2 gallons = 16 pints
- Each pint = 568 ml
→ 16 × 568 ml
Calculate:
10 × 568 = 5680
6 × 568 = let’s do 5×568=2840, plus 1×568=568 → 2840+568=3408
Total = 5680 + 3408 =
9088 ml
Convert to liters: divide by 1000
→ 9088 ÷ 1000 =
9.088 liters
But wait — the question might be trying to trick us because it didn’t give the pint-to-gallon relationship. However, since it gave pint = 568 ml (UK standard), and asked for gallons, we assume 1 gal = 8 pt.
✔ Check: 16 × 568 = 9088 → yes. 9088 ml = 9.088 L → yes.
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Problem 4:
> A pair of scissors costs $2.59. How much would 12 pairs cost at this price?
Multiply: 2.59 × 12
Break it down:
2 × 12 = 24
0.59 × 12 = ?
0.5 × 12 = 6
0.09 × 12 = 1.08
So 6 + 1.08 = 7.08
Total = 24 + 7.08 =
$31.08
✔ Check: 2.59 × 12 = 31.08 → correct.
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Problem 5:
> An M&Ms chocolate packet contains 36 chocolate sweets. How many sweets in a multipack bag of 24 packets?
Multiply: 36 × 24
Break it down:
30 × 24 = 720
6 × 24 = 144
Total = 720 + 144 =
864 sweets
✔ Check: 36 × 24 = 864 → correct.
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Problem 6:
> There are on average 154 words on each page of the book ‘How to Look after your Salamander’. The book contains 37 pages. How many words are there in the book?
Multiply: 154 × 37
Break it down:
150 × 37 = ?
100 × 37 = 3700
50 × 37 = 1850
→ 3700 + 1850 = 5550
Now 4 × 37 = 148
Total = 5550 + 148 =
5698 words
✔ Check: 154 × 37 = 5698 → correct.
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Problem 7:
> A cruise ship travels at 26 miles per hour. How many hours will it take to make a 416 mile journey?
This is NOT a multiplication problem — it’s a division problem!
Time = Distance ÷ Speed
→ 416 ÷ 26
Let’s divide:
26 × 16 = ?
26 × 10 = 260
26 × 6 = 156
260 + 156 = 416 → so 16 hours
✔ Check: 26 × 16 = 416 → correct.
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🔍 Now, remember the instruction:
> Can you spot the ‘trick’ problem which is not a multiplication problem?
That’s Problem 7! It looks like others (multiplication), but actually requires
division.
Also, Problem 3 might seem tricky because it jumps from pints to gallons without giving the conversion — but if we use standard knowledge (1 gal = 8 pt), it works. Still, Problem 7 is clearly the intended “trick” because it’s fundamentally a different operation.
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Final Answer:
1) 1525 cm, 15.25 meters
2) 1884 meters
3) 9088 ml, 9.088 liters
4) $31.08
5) 864 sweets
6) 5698 words
7) 16 hours
The trick problem is #7 — it uses division, not multiplication.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of decimal word problem worksheet 5th grade.
