Math is Figure-Out-Able!

#MathStratChat - June 3, 2026

• Scott Holmes

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0:00 | 4:32

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on June 3, 2026. 

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. 

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Pam  0:00  
Hey fellow mathers! Welcome to the podcast where Math is Figure-Out-Able. I'm Pam Harris.

Kim  0:07  
And I'm Kim Montague.

Pam  0:08  
And this is a... This is a. This is a MathStratChat episode where we chat about our math strategies. That's why you guys... People come up to me at conferences and, like, "You know, your strat chat things. Your chart start chat." Anyway. Everyone Wednesday evening, I throw out a math problem on social media, and people from around the world chat about the strategies they use and comment on each other's thinking.

Kim  0:32  
Okay, so this week our problem is 125 times 160. How would you solve this problem? Pause and solve it however you'd like. The problem is 125 times 160.

Pam  0:44  
Alright, you first.

Kim  0:46  
Okay, so I'm thinking about how I like the 125, but I kind of want to double it for 250 and double it for 500. So, I'm looking over here at the 160, and I'm thinking, I want to pull 4 from there. So, I'm going to call 160, 4 times 40. And then I'm going to do the 125 times 4. And then make the new problem 500 times 40. 

Pam  1:15  
Wait.

Kim  1:15  
So, then...

Pam  1:16  
500 times 40.

Kim  1:17  
So, in this 160, I kind of factored 4 times 40.

Pam  1:21  
I followed that.

Kim  1:22  
And then I multiplied 125 times 4.

Pam  1:25  
Yes.

Kim  1:26  
So, that's 400 plus 4 more quarters is 500.

Pam  1:32  
Okay.

Kim  1:34  
So, then now I have 500 times 40.

Pam  1:38  
Don't you have a 4 still hanging around?

Kim  1:40  
No, because I multiplied that by the 125.

Pam  1:42  
Oh, I got it. Okay, sorry.

Kim  1:44  
I need to explain better. 

Pam  1:46  
You're good, you're good.

Kim  1:47  
So, 500 times 40. So, then I'm thinking about, well, I know 5 times 4 is 20 times 10 times 10 times 10 is 20,000.

Pam  1:58  
No, that's interesting because I was looking at your 500 times 40, and I thought 500 times 4 is 2,000. And I have to scale that times 10.

Kim  2:08  
Nice.

Pam  2:09  
Yeah, cool. Well, I was just going to straight Double and Halve, which is a little different than you did. I don't know how much different. Like, I was also going to Double and Halve to get 250 times 80. 

Kim  2:20  
Mmhm.

Pam  2:20  
And then Double and Halve to get 500 times 40. And then I end up at your 500 times 40. 

Kim  2:25  
Mmhm.

Pam  2:26  
So, I wasn't really thinking about factoring out. But I also could think about 100 times 160. That would be 160 times 10 times 10. So, that's 16,000.

Kim  2:38  
Mmhm.

Pam  2:38  
And then I need a fourth of 160.

Kim  2:43  
Mmhm.

Pam  2:44  
To find the 25 times 160. So, a fourth of 160 would be 40. But then I have to scale that times 10 times 10 to get 25 times 160. S, that's 4,000. And 16,00 and 4,000 is also 20,000.

Kim  3:00  
Nice. 

Pam  3:00  
Cool. Alright. yeah. 

Kim  3:03  
We can't wait to see what you do every week. Join us on MathStratChat and let us know how you think about the problems and comment on each other's thinking.

Pam  3:11  
Yeah, I'll post the problems on Wednesdays around 7:00 p.m. Central. When you answer, tag me and use the hashtag MathStratChat. Then join us here to hear how we're thinking about the problem. We love having you as part of the Math is Figure-Out-Able movement because Math is Figure-Out-Able!