Mateo made the model below to represent the number of miles he swims in the pool each week for exercise.

Mateo made the model below to represent the number of miles he swims in the pool each week for exercise. Key = 1 mile Use the drop-down menus to explain his model. Click the arrows to choose an answer from each menu. The number of times Mateo swims each week is represented by the Choose… in the model. The distance, in miles, that Mateo swims each time he goes to the pool is represented by the Choose… The total distance Mateo swims each week can be determined using the expression Choose… which is equivalent to Choose… miles

The Correct Answer and Explanation is:

To correctly interpret Mateo’s model and answer the questions, let’s go step-by-step. Although we don’t see the actual model, we can deduce the structure based on the key information and typical model interpretation.

Let’s assume the model shows several rows of symbols, and each symbol represents 1 mile, according to the key.


Correct Answers for the Drop-down Menus:

  1. The number of times Mateo swims each week is represented by the number of rows in the model.
  2. The distance, in miles, that Mateo swims each time he goes to the pool is represented by the number of symbols in each row.
  3. The total distance Mateo swims each week can be determined using the expression
    number of rows × number of symbols in each row,
    which is equivalent to
    total number of symbols miles.

Explanation:

Mateo uses a visual model to represent the number of miles he swims in a week. This type of model typically involves grouping identical symbols—each standing for a certain quantity, in this case, 1 mile—into organized rows and columns. The structure of this model helps translate a real-world activity into a mathematical representation.

The number of rows in the model corresponds to how many times Mateo goes swimming during the week. For example, if there are 4 rows, that means he swims 4 days a week. Each symbol within a row represents 1 mile swum on that day, so the number of symbols in each row shows how many miles he swims each session.

To find the total number of miles Mateo swims in a week, you multiply the number of days he swims (number of rows) by the number of miles he swims each time (symbols per row). This can be written as:

Number of rows × Number of symbols per row

This multiplication gives the total number of miles, which can also be directly seen as the total number of symbols in the model since each one represents 1 mile.

This model provides an easy way to understand and calculate total distance using basic multiplication, reinforcing the concept of repeated addition and offering a visual interpretation of the math behind Mateo’s weekly swimming routine.

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