Maryland Math 6.NOS.B.2.a

Math6th GradeNumber and Operation Sense

The Standard

Extend estimation strategies to estimate and assess the reasonableness of quotients.

Maryland College and Career Ready Standards for Mathematics (2025) · COMPUTE FLUENTLY WITH MULTI-DIGIT NUMBERS AND FIND COMMON FACTORS AND MULTIPLES.

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students choose nearby numbers that are easy to divide and use them to estimate quotients. They compare an estimate with a calculated answer to decide whether the answer makes sense.
What Mastery Looks Like: For 612 ÷ 29, a student uses 600 ÷ 30 = 20 and says the answer should be near 20, not 200. They check that 29 × 20 = 580, so the actual quotient is a little above 20.
Common Misconceptions: Students may round 29 to 3 instead of 30 and get an estimate ten times too large. Some treat an estimate of 20 as the exact answer to 612 ÷ 29.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: A student claims 738 ÷ 24 = 307. Use nearby numbers to estimate the quotient, then explain whether 307 is reasonable.

Lesson moves

Give pairs 60 counters and cups; make groups of 3, then scale 60 ÷ 3 to estimate 612 ÷ 29.
Ask, “Is 612 ÷ 29 closer to 2, 20, or 200?” Have students defend their choice using multiplication.
Put 612 ÷ 29, 495 ÷ 51, and 1,208 ÷ 39 on cards; pairs match them with estimates of 20, 10, and 30.
Show a $612 field trip bill for 29 students; have students estimate the cost per student before calculating it.

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