Question

In a garden, there are $6$ brown butterflies. The combined number of blue and purple butterflies is equal to the number of brown butterflies. Select the correct equation that will help us to find the total number of butterflies.

• A. $6+3+1=10$
• B. $6+3+2=11$
• C. $6+3=9$
• D. $6+3+3=12$

Answer 1

The correct option is D $6+3+3=12$

Solution: Option B

Say: Let’s read the question and observe the image.

Ask:
How many brown butterflies are there?
Ans: $6$

What can you tell about the number of blue and purple butterflies?
Ans: The total number of blue and purple butterflies is $6$.

How can we identify the correct equation?
Ans: We have to check that the sum of the two numbers other
than $6$ should also be $6$, and the total of the equation should be $12$.

What can be the possible number of blue and purple butterflies that will make the total $6$?
Ans: $3$ and $3,2$ and $4$, or $1$ and $5$

What will be the correct addition equation? Why?
Ans: $6+3+3=12$, because here we have $3+3=6$, and the total is also $12$.

Hence, option B is the correct answer.

WB: If required, use the whiteboard to draw the number frame and write the equation.


Probing Question:

Q. Without the equations, if the options had only the total number of butterflies, would it be possible to find the correct answer by using the information from the question? How?
A: Yes, because from the question, we know that the number of brown butterflies is 6, and the total number of blue and purple butterflies is also 6. So, if we add 6 and 6, we get 12 as the total number of butterflies.