How many teaspoons are equivalent to 44 tablespoons? (3 text{ teaspoons} = 1 text{ tablespoon})

1. TRANSLATE the problem information

• Given information:
  • 44 tablespoons need to be converted
  • Conversion factor: \(\mathrm{3\ teaspoons = 1\ tablespoon}\)
  • Need to find: equivalent teaspoons

2. INFER the conversion strategy

• Since we're converting from a larger unit (tablespoons) to a smaller unit (teaspoons), we multiply
• We need to use the conversion factor as a multiplier: 3 teaspoons per 1 tablespoon

3. SIMPLIFY using the conversion calculation

• Set up: \(\mathrm{44\ tablespoons \times \frac{3\ teaspoons}{1\ tablespoon}}\)
• Calculate: \(\mathrm{44 \times 3 = 132\ teaspoons}\)

Answer: C. 132

Why Students Usually Falter on This Problem

Most Common Error Path:

Weak INFER skill: Students may think that conversion means adding the conversion factor rather than multiplying by it.

They might calculate \(\mathrm{44 + 3 = 47}\), thinking "we add 3 teaspoons for every tablespoon."

This may lead them to select Choice A (47).

Second Most Common Error:

Conceptual confusion about conversion factors: Students might use an incorrect conversion ratio, perhaps thinking 1 teaspoon = 2 tablespoons or misremembering the relationship.

This could lead to calculations like \(\mathrm{44 \times 2 = 88}\).

This may lead them to select Choice B (88).

The Bottom Line:

Unit conversion problems require understanding the relationship between units and recognizing that going from larger to smaller units involves multiplication. The key insight is that each tablespoon contains multiple teaspoons, so we need more teaspoons than tablespoons.