Multiplication means repeated addition, scaling a quantity up or down, or working with rows and columns.

8.2x = 57.4

An online album costs $8.20 to download. Freddie downloaded $57.40 worth of albums, excluding sales tax. How many albums, x, did Freddie download?

Addition means to combine two quantities.

x + 13.5 = 24

An empty box weighs x ounces. If 13.5 ounces of strawberries are added to the box, the total weight will be 24 ounces. How much does the empty box weigh?

Division means repeated subtraction or grouping items into equal-size groups.

x ÷ 6 = 112.5

Alicia and five friends went on vacation to a lake cabin for one week. Each person paid $112.50 to rent the cabin. How much money, x, did the cabin rental cost?

Subtraction means to remove an amount or to compare two quantities.

x − 5 = 2 1 over 4 1 4

Sherry lives 5 miles from the library. Her cousin lives 2 1 over 4 1 4 miles farther from the library than Sherry does. How many miles, x, does Sherry’s cousin live from the library?