Super Scalers! Multiplying to Make More!

Hello Maths Superstars! Have you ever needed to make more of something, like baking more pies for a party, or figuring out how many wheels you need for a whole fleet of toy cars? That’s called scaling up, and multiplication is the perfect tool to help us solve these kinds of problems! Today, we’re going to become “Super Scalers” and learn how to use multiplication to find out how much we need when we make bigger quantities.

What Are Integer Scaling Problems?

“Integer Scaling Problems” might sound fancy, but it just means we’re figuring out how much of something we need if we increase the number of groups or items, and we’re using whole numbers (integers!). It’s usually about a “rate” – like how many of one thing you need for one of another thing.

The Big Idea: If you know how much you need for ONE item, you can multiply to find out how much you need for MANY items.

Example 1: Apples for Pies! Problem: “A recipe needs 2 apples for 1 pie. How many apples do you need to make 4 pies?”

• Understand the Rate: For every 1 pie, you need 2 apples.
• Identify the Scaling Factor: You want to make 4 pies (that’s 4 times as many pies as 1 pie).
• Choose the Operation: Since you’re making more pies, you’ll need more apples. This is a job for multiplication!
• Calculate: You have 4 groups (pies), and each group needs 2 apples.
  • So, 4 (pies) × 2 (apples per pie) = ?
  • 4 × 2 = 8 apples.
• Sense Check & State: You would need 8 apples to make 4 pies. (Does that make sense? If 1 pie is 2 apples, then 2 pies would be 4, 3 pies would be 6, and 4 pies would be 8. Yes!)

Example 2: Wheels on Cars! Problem: “Each toy car has 4 wheels. How many wheels are needed for 5 toy cars?”

• Understand the Rate: For every 1 car, there are 4 wheels.
• Identify the Scaling Factor: We want to know about 5 cars.
• Choose the Operation: We’re finding the total for multiple groups of wheels, so it’s multiplication.
• Calculate: You have 5 groups (cars), and each group has 4 wheels.
  • So, 5 (cars) × 4 (wheels per car) = ?
  • 5 × 4 = 20 wheels.
• Sense Check & State: You would need 20 wheels for 5 toy cars.

Become a Super Scaler! (18 Problems to Solve)

Ready to practice scaling things up? For each problem below, read the story carefully, find out the “rate” (how many for one item), and then multiply to find out how many you need for more items!

(Your web app with the 18 questions will go here. The problems should be one-step scaling scenarios using multiplication with whole numbers.)

Why is Understanding Scaling So Useful?

• Real-Life Maths Hero: You’ll use this for recipes, party planning, building things, shopping, and so much more!
• Shows How Multiplication Works in Action: You see a really clear reason why we learn to multiply.
• Builds Proportional Thinking: This is a first step to understanding ratios and how things change together.
• Makes You a Smart Planner: You can figure out what you need if you want to make more of something.

Tips for Grown-Ups: Helping Your Super Scaler

Integer scaling problems are a practical introduction to multiplicative reasoning. They help children see the power of multiplication in everyday contexts.

• Identify the “Unit Rate” First: Help the child find the information that tells them “how many for one.” (e.g., “2 apples for one pie,” “4 wheels for one car”).
• Visualise with Drawings or Objects: Draw the pies and the apples for each, or use counters to represent items. This makes the “groups of” concept very clear.
• Create a Simple Table:
  • Pies | Apples
  • —–|——-
  • 1 | 2
  • 2 | 4
  • 3 | 6
  • 4 | ? (They can see the pattern of adding 2, which is repeated addition/multiplication)
• Use Multiplication Language: Encourage them to say, “If I have 4 times as many pies, I need 4 times as many apples.”
• Link to Times Tables: These problems directly use their times table knowledge.