Target 5: Manipulating Calculations

If 72x8.2 makes 590.4, then what is the answer to 7.2x820?

What is 144x8.2?

Or 144x16.4?

In fact, what is the answer to 590.4÷4.1?

The Target 5 workbook deals with a theme that has been very difficult to categorise within the primary Maths curriculum and yet always seems to appear in test papers.

**What are the rules of multiplication and division?
**

If your students are able to spot relationships between calculations, they do not need to use long, written methods to solve answers. They just need to manipulate numbers.

The book begins by looking at answers that appear on a calculator, then asking the children to find calculations that would produce the same answer. This can be done in one of two ways: place value (see Targets 2 & 3) or using the times-tables then estimating the answer (see Targets 1 & 4).

Students will also look at long multiplication answers then solve calculations that have different, yet connected answers.

They will learn how halving and doubling manipulates the answers to multiplications and divisions.

They will look at a list of long multiplications and identify which one produces the largest answer, without doing any multiplying.

They will select the correct answer to 707x290÷2.8 from a list of suggested answers, without multiplying or dividing.

Each Target Practice workbook is divided into ten challenges, with target scores and time limits. The Target Extra section at the back of each book contains several repeat challenges, enabling your students to hit that target score should they miss out the first time.

This is a colourful 117-page PDF download, with explanation pages for each concept, and quick links to each chapter and the answer pages.

Not only that, this Target Practice workbook contains links to 82 minutes of teaching video, created by Catapult (only available to those who purchase the workbook).

Target 5’s ten steps are as follows:

Target 5a: Multiplications with the Same Answer

Target 5b: Connected Answers

Target 5c: Balancing Multiplications

Target 5d: Multiplications using Doubles & Halves

Target 5e: Which has the Largest Answer?

Target 5f: Divisions with the Same Answer

Target 5g: Balancing Divisions

Target 5h: Divisions with Connected Answers

Target 5i: Divisions using Doubles & Halves

Target 5j: Two-Step Calculations

Launch their potential.

Trevor Veale

Target Practice author

Owner and full-time tutor at Catapult

Primary school teacher for nine years