✦ Sneak peek — what multiplication equation does this show?
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
___ groups × ___ basketballs each = ___ total!
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Equal Groups ✦ Sports MathNerdCroft · Grade 3 · 3.OA.A.1
✦ The Coach's Playbook
Key Vocabulary
Every great athlete knows the game plan! Learn these words before you hit the field. 🏆
✦ Equal Groups
Groups that each hold the same number of items. Like packing the same number of balls into every equipment bag!
✦ Factors
The two numbers you multiply together. The first factor = number of groups. The second factor = items in each group.
✦ Product
The answer when you multiply! It's the total number of items across all groups — your final score!
✦ The Sports Formula
Number of Groups × Items in Each Group = Total Items
3 × 4 = 12
✦ Playbook Example
3 × 4 = 12
"3 bags of 4 basketballs"
Bag 1 — 4 balls
Bag 2 — 4 balls
Bag 3 — 4 balls
There are 3 bags, with 4 basketballs in each.
3 × 4 = 12 basketballs in all! 🎉
🏅 Coach's Tip!
1st factor = how many groups |
2nd factor = how many items per group |
Product = total items
Every group must have the same number of items — that's what makes them equal groups!
NerdCroft — Sports Math: Equal Groups — Grade 3Page 2
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Equal Groups ✦ Sports MathNerdCroft · Grade 3 · 3.OA.A.1
✦ Section APart 1 of 2
Fill the Equipment Bag ⚽
It's game day and the equipment needs to be packed! Look at the multiplication problem and draw equal groups of sports gear in the boxes. The first number = how many groups. The second number = how many items go in each group!
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12 × 3 = ___Draw 2 groups of 3 soccer balls. Put 3 soccer balls inside each box!
Group 1 — draw 3 soccer balls
Group 2 — draw 3 soccer balls
I drew groups with soccer balls in each. Total: × =
23 × 4 = ___Draw 3 groups of 4 basketballs. Put 4 basketballs inside each box!
Group 1 — draw 4 basketballs
Group 2 — draw 4 basketballs
Group 3 — draw 4 basketballs
I drew groups with basketballs in each. Total: × =
34 × 2 = ___Draw 4 groups of 2 baseballs. Put 2 baseballs inside each box!
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
I drew groups with baseballs in each. Total: × =
NerdCroft — Sports Math: Equal Groups — Grade 3Page 3
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Equal Groups ✦ Sports MathNerdCroft · Grade 3 · 3.OA.A.1
✦ Section APart 2 of 2 — continued
Fill the Equipment Bag ⚽
Keep going, MVP! Draw equal groups of sports gear, then find the total.
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45 × 3 = ___Draw 5 groups of 3 trophies. Put 3 trophies inside each box!
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
I drew groups with trophies in each. Total: × =
52 × 6 = ___Draw 2 groups of 6 footballs. Put 6 footballs inside each box!
Group 1 — draw 6 footballs
Group 2 — draw 6 footballs
I drew groups with footballs in each. Total: × =
63 × 5 = ___Draw 3 groups of 5 cleats. Put 5 cleats inside each box!
Group 1 — draw 5 cleats
Group 2 — draw 5 cleats
Group 3 — draw 5 cleats
I drew groups with cleats in each. Total: × =
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Equal Groups ✦ Sports MathNerdCroft · Grade 3 · 3.OA.A.1
✦ Section B
Count the Equipment 🏅
The equipment is already packed and ready to go! Count the groups, count the items in each group, then write the multiplication equation and find the total!
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1 Count the soccer ball groups!
groups of balls = × =
2 Count the basketball groups!
groups of balls = × =
3 Count the baseball groups!
groups of balls = × =
4 Count the football groups!
groups of balls = × =
5 Count the trophy groups!
groups of trophies = × =
6 Count the cleat groups!
groups of cleats = × =
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Equal Groups ✦ Sports MathNerdCroft · Grade 3 · 3.OA.A.1
✦ Section C
Sports Day Word Problems 🏆
The big game is here and math skills are needed! Read each problem, write your multiplication equation in the work space, and find the answer. Look for the number of groups and items in each group!
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Coach Maria is packing equipment bags for soccer practice. She puts 4 soccer balls in each bag, and there are 3 bags. How many soccer balls are there in all?
My Work & Equation
Answer: soccer balls
2
The gym has 5 shelves of basketballs. Each shelf holds 6 basketballs. How many basketballs are in the gym altogether?
My Work & Equation
Answer: basketballs
3
There are 4 baseball teams in the championship tournament. Each team has 7 players. How many players are in the tournament altogether?
My Work & Equation
Answer: players
4
The school's trophy case has 3 shelves. Each shelf holds 8 trophies. How many trophies are in the trophy case?
My Work & Equation
Answer: trophies
5
The athletic store just got a big delivery of footballs! There are 8 boxes, and each box holds 5 footballs. How many footballs did the store receive?
My Work & Equation
Answer: footballs
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Equal Groups ✦ Sports MathNerdCroft · Grade 3 · 3.OA.A.1
✦ Teacher Copy
Answer Key
For teacher or parent use. Award full credit for any drawing in Section A that correctly shows equal groups matching the equation.
✦ Section A — Fill the Equipment Bag (Draw Equal Groups)
1.2 × 3 = 6 (2 groups of 3 soccer balls)
2.3 × 4 = 12 (3 groups of 4 basketballs)
3.4 × 2 = 8 (4 groups of 2 baseballs)
4.5 × 3 = 15 (5 groups of 3 trophies)
5.2 × 6 = 12 (2 groups of 6 footballs)
6.3 × 5 = 15 (3 groups of 5 cleats)
✦ Section B — Count the Equipment (Write the Equation)
1.3 groups of 4 soccer balls → 3 × 4 = 12
2.2 groups of 5 basketballs → 2 × 5 = 10
3.3 groups of 3 baseballs → 3 × 3 = 9
4.2 groups of 4 footballs → 2 × 4 = 8
5.3 groups of 2 trophies → 3 × 2 = 6
6.3 groups of 4 cleats → 3 × 4 = 12
✦ Section C — Sports Day Word Problems
1.3 × 4 = 12 soccer balls
2.5 × 6 = 30 basketballs
3.4 × 7 = 28 players
4.3 × 8 = 24 trophies
5.8 × 5 = 40 footballs
Standards alignment: 3.OA.A.1 — Interpret products of whole numbers as the total number of objects in equal groups. Section A grading: Full credit if the drawing shows the correct number of groups, the correct number of items per group, and the equation is complete. Partial credit if groups or item count (but not both) are correct. Watch for: Students sometimes reverse factors. Both orders are mathematically valid due to the Commutative Property, but 3.OA.A.1 emphasizes that the first factor represents the number of groups.