Lesson 19 Trash Talk

    • Let’s multiply to solve problems about the area of the Great Garbage Patch.

Warm-up Notice and Wonder: Trash and Ice

What do you notice? What do you wonder?

image of trash in the water and on land. trash includes bottles, paper, cans.

Activity 1 Square Kilometers

Problem 1

Mai walked around a soccer field 2 times. She thinks she walked about a kilometer. Do you agree with Mai? Show or explain your reasoning.

Problem 2

Decide whether each distance is less than a kilometer, about a kilometer, or more than a kilometer.

  1. the distance across the state you live in

  2. the distance from your home to school

  3. the distance from your school room to the restroom

  4. the distance you travel on a vacation in the car

Activity 2 So Much Trash

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a large area in the Pacific Ocean where trash has accumulated. Some estimates indicate that the garbage covers about 1,000,000 square kilometers.

  1. Rhode Island is the smallest state. It is about 77 km long and 60 km wide. Which is larger, the garbage patch or Rhode Island? Explain or show your reasoning.

  2. Delaware is about 154 km long and 48 km wide. Which is larger, the garbage patch or Delaware? Explain or show your reasoning.

  3. New Mexico is about 596 km long and 552 km wide. Which is larger, the garbage patch or New Mexico?

  4. Circle an area on the map of the U.S. that you think estimates the area of the garbage patch. Explain your thinking.

    United States map.

Practice Problem

Problem 1

Colorado is 610 kilometers long and 450 kilometers wide.

  1. Recall that New Mexico is about 596 km long and 552 km wide. Do you think the area of Colorado is greater than or less than the area of New Mexico? Explain your reasoning.

  2. What is the area of Colorado?