Teacher Notes
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TIMS Challenge
This problem can be used as a Problem of the Week.
Answers will vary.
Ask students to share their strategies. Discuss the different elements they must consider in order to arrive at their estimates. Discuss why an estimate is most appropriate in this situation.
It may be possible to determine the exact number of books in the classroom, but to do so would be time consuming and tedious for most fourth-grade classrooms. The exact total number of pages would be even more difficult, and there is probably not a good reason for doing so.
It would be virtually impossible to find an exact number of books in a school library on any given day, but a reasonable estimate could be made.
Let students take a trip to the school library to figure out strategies for making good estimates.
N. Books, Books, Books 
Use a separate sheet of paper to explain your thinking.
- About how many books are in the room right now? Explain your thinking.
- About how many pages are in all the books in the room right now? Explain your thinking.
- About how many books are in the school library right now? Explain your thinking. What information did you use?
