Rates and Unit Rates
I can find a unit rate to compare prices and decide the better buy.
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🎯 Content Objective / Objetivo de contenido
I can find a unit rate to compare prices and decide the better buy.
Today's Flow
Total pacing: ~50 min · Progress bar at top tracks your place
LAUNCH
⏱ ~10 min
⏱️ 3 MIN · THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Booth A charges $3 for 5 games and Booth B charges $5 for 8 games. Can you tell which is the better deal just by looking at the signs? Why or why not?
Check for Understanding #1
Teacher: If >30% thumbs down, re-teach with a fresh example before moving on.
Arcade Builder Challenge
You're comparing ticket prices at different game booths in the arcade. Booth A charges $3 for 5 games, and Booth B charges $5 for 8 games. Which booth gives you a better deal? To find out, you need to figure out the cost per game — that's the unit rate!
Concept Launch
💡 What is a unit rate, and how does it help me find the better buy?
A rate compares two amounts with different units. A unit rate tells you the amount for just 1 of something, like the cost for 1 game.
To find a unit rate, divide the total cost by the number of items. The lower cost per item is the better buy.
Check for Understanding #2
Teacher: If >30% thumbs down, re-teach with a fresh example before moving on.
Now it's your turn
VOCABULARY
⏱ ~8 min
| Term / Término | Meaning / Significado | Example / Ejemplo | Visual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rate Tasa |
A ratio comparing two amounts with different units, like miles per hour. Una razón que compara dos cantidades con unidades distintas, como millas por hora. |
$12 for 4 games is a rate | |
| Unit Rate Tasa unitaria |
A rate for just 1 of something, like cost for 1 item. Una tasa para solo 1 de algo, como el precio de 1 artículo. |
$3 per 1 game | |
| Per Por |
For each one. Example: 5 dollars per book. Por cada uno. Ejemplo: 5 dólares por libro. |
60 miles per hour means 60 miles for every 1 hour | |
| Ratio Razón |
A way to compare two amounts. Una manera de comparar dos cantidades. |
5 to 3 or 5:3 | |
| Better Buy Mejor compra |
The choice that costs less for each item. La opción que cuesta menos por cada artículo. |
Pack A: $0.50 per pencil vs Pack B: $0.40 per pencil — Pack B is the better buy | |
| Divide Dividir |
Splitting a total into equal groups. Repartir un total en grupos iguales. |
$12 ÷ 4 games = $3 per game |
Which Word Fits?
A ratio that compares two quantities with different units is a ___.
Use It In a Sentence
Check for Understanding #3
Teacher: If >30% thumbs down, re-teach with a fresh example before moving on.
Turn & Talk — Launch
Booth A charges $3 for 5 games and Booth B charges $5 for 8 games. Can you tell which is the better deal just by looking at the signs? Why or why not?
👂 Listen For
Students recognize the booths offer different numbers of games, so a fair comparison needs the cost per 1 game (unit rate).
Extend: Some players pick Booth B because $5 buys more games. Why is that reasoning not enough to know the better deal? Justify using cost per game.
EXPLORE & PRACTICE
⏱ ~18 min
Visual Modeling Workspace
Use the drawing tray below to annotate the visual model. Teacher: say "Click to reveal" on key steps.
Explore Activity
Calculate the unit rate (cost per game) for each arcade booth. Divide the total cost by the number of games.
✍️ Explore Discourse
How does finding the unit rate help you compare the booths?
Whiteboard Moment
Show your work clearly. Be ready to explain your thinking to a partner.
Turn & Talk — Explore
How did you find the cost per game for each booth, and which booth wins?
👂 Listen For
Students compute $0.60/game for Booth A and $0.625/game for Booth B, then choose Booth A because the lower unit rate is the better buy.
Extend: If a player only wants 5 games total, does the better unit rate always give the cheaper total? Explain when it might not.
Practice Check A
Which token pack from the table above is the best deal?
✍️ Show Your Work
Explain why your answer is correct using today's vocabulary.
Practice Check B
Runner A completes 4 laps in 12 minutes. Runner B completes 5 laps in 14 minutes. Who runs more laps per minute?
✍️ Show Your Work
Explain why your answer is correct using today's vocabulary.
Equivalent Ratio Sort
Complete the interactive activity using today's strategy.
✍️ Justify Your Thinking
Sort each situation by whether the unit rate is 'per item' or 'per time'.
A classmate turned in the work below. One step has a mistake. Read every step, find it, name it, and fix it.
Choose ONE option to show what you know — then do it in the workspace below.
Use evidence from today's lesson to complete each frame.
Today's key idea is: "To find a unit rate, divide the total cost by the number of items. The lower cost per item is the better buy." — and it works because ___.
Because Rate means ___, but a tricky part is ___, so I have to ___.
A common mistake with Rate is ___. It happens because ___, and the fix is ___.
I can prove my answer is correct by ___, using Unit Rate to check my work.
✍️ TWR · WRITE 3 SENTENCES · 7 MIN
To find a unit rate, divide the total cost by the number of items. The lower cost per item is the better buy. because ___
To find a unit rate, divide the total cost by the number of items. The lower cost per item is the better buy. but ___
To find a unit rate, divide the total cost by the number of items. The lower cost per item is the better buy. so ___
🌱 TWR · GROW THE KERNEL · 6 MIN
Answer these to add detail
Sentence starters (tap to use)
Student Workspace
Calculate the unit rate (cost per game) for each arcade booth. Divide the total cost by the number of games.
| Booth | Games | Total Cost | Cost per Game (Unit Rate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booth A | 5 | $3.00 | $0.60 |
| Booth B | 8 | $5.00 | |
| Booth C | 4 | $2.80 | |
| Booth D | 10 | $7.00 | |
| Booth E | 6 | $3.90 | |
| Booth F | 3 | $2.25 |
✏️ Sketch Your Strategy
Differentiation Paths
Step-by-step with a worked model and sentence frames.
A booth charges $4.50 for 9 games. What is the unit rate?
Core practice aligned to the standard.
Extension with error analysis or multi-step reasoning.
Partner Activity
Work with your partner on the practice problems at your differentiation path level. Explain each step using math vocabulary.
Check for Understanding #4
Teacher: If >30% thumbs down, re-teach with a fresh example before moving on.
Real-World Connection
🌍 Math in the Wild
The arcade snack bar sells popcorn in two sizes: a small bag with 3 cups for $2.25 and a large bag with 8 cups for $5.60. You want the most popcorn for your money.
✍️ Connection Reasoning
Which size is the better deal, and how do you know?
The ___ bag is the better deal because its unit rate is $___ per cup, which is ___ than $___ per cup for the other size.
Turn & Talk — Connect
At the snack bar, how would you use a unit rate to find the best popcorn deal among different sizes?
👂 Listen For
Students describe dividing price by size to get a per-unit cost and choosing the lowest unit rate as the best deal.
Extend: Why might the biggest popcorn not always be the best value? Use the idea of unit rate to explain.
CLOSURE & REFLECT
⏱ ~8 min
Today I learned that ___ because ___.
One thing I am still not sure about is ___.
A store sells 6 pencils for $1.50 and 10 pencils for $2.80. Which is the better buy?
Bonus Exit Check
A booth charges $4.50 for 9 games. What is the unit rate?
✍️ Show Your Work
Explain why your answer is correct using today's vocabulary.
Reflection & Self-Assessment
Continue Learning
Launch the Full Interactive Activity
Students continue practice in the HTML lesson engine with auto-check, hints, and differentiation.
Family Connection
Share tonight's family homework and discuss one vocabulary word at home.
Open Family Homework ↗Teacher Notes
⏱️ Pacing Guide
- Launch & vocab: 12 min
- I Do / We Do / You Do: 15 min
- Explore & practice: 15 min
- Connect & closure: 8 min
Total: ~50 min
🎯 Listen For · Common Errors
• Students recognize the booths offer different numbers of games, so a fair comparison needs the cost per 1 game (unit rate).
• Students compute $0.60/game for Booth A and $0.625/game for Booth B, then choose Booth A because the lower unit rate is the better buy.
• Students describe dividing price by size to get a per-unit cost and choosing the lowest unit rate as the best deal.
• Listen for students naming a specific strategy tied to 6.RP.2 — not just "I multiplied." They should connect steps to the key idea.
Common mistake: A common mistake in Rates and Unit Rates is skipping the key idea: "To find a unit rate, divide the total cost by the number of items. The lower cost per item is the better buy." — always check your work against this rule before you submit.
Answer Key (Teacher Appendix)
Hide this slide during presentation or move to the end of your copy.
✓ Practice 1: Pack B — Pack B has a unit rate of $0.20 per token, which is the lowest cost per token.
✓ Practice 2: Runner B — Runner A: 4÷12 ≈ 0.33 laps/min. Runner B: 5÷14 ≈ 0.36 laps/min. Runner B runs slightly more laps per minute.
✓ Practice 3: $0.50 per game — $4.50 ÷ 9 = $0.50 per game.
✓ Practice 4: 30 miles per gallon — 180 miles ÷ 6 gallons = 30 miles per gallon.
✓ Exit ticket: 6 for $1.50 — $0.25 each — $1.50 ÷ 6 = $0.25 per pencil. $2.80 ÷ 10 = $0.28 per pencil. $0.25 < $0.28, so 6 for $1.50 is the better buy.