Multiplication as Scaling Worksheets, Grade 5 (5.NF.B.5) – Free PDF + Answer Key

First page of the multiplication as scaling practice worksheet

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PDFs print on US Letter paper. Free for classroom and home use.

Watch: Multiplying Fractions Step by Step

Key idea

Multiplier more than 1 → bigger. Exactly 1 → unchanged. Less than 1 → smaller. Always say bigger than WHICH number. Dividing by less than 1 makes things bigger.

Sample problems

Without calculating, say whether each is more or less than 12: 12 × 2/3, 12 × 5/5, 12 × 7/6, 12 × 1/10.
Without calculating, put these in order, smallest first: 20 × 1/2, 20 × 1, 20 × 3/4, 20 × 2.
A 12 cm photo is scaled by 3/4, then the result is scaled by 4/3. What size is it now? Explain without doing both multiplications.
Is 1.5 × 0.6 bigger or smaller than 1.5? Bigger or smaller than 0.6? Answer both without calculating.

Common mistakes to watch for

Calculated 17.5 and then compared. The answer is right and the item asked for a judgement WITHOUT calculating, because the judgement is what checks a calculation and so must not depend on one.
Said “more”, on the belief that multiplying always increases. This is the item that names the boundary, so getting it wrong matters more than the other two.
Calculated 22.5 first; or said “less”, because 9/8 looks like a fraction and fractions are assumed to shrink things. It is an improper fraction and it is greater than one.

The answer key explains each one, so you can tell what a wrong answer means.

How to use this set

Teach with the slides (about 15 minutes), or watch the video together.
Practice with the worksheet. Questions climb from fluency to application to reasoning.
Check understanding with the exit ticket.
Mark with the answer key — each answer shows the steps and the most likely mistake.