A military supply truck carries 250 cases of rations. Each case contains 24 individual meals. How many meals total are in the truck?

Multiplication problem: 250 × 24 = 6,000 meals. Calculation strategies: (1) Standard multiplication: 250 × 24 = 250 × 20 + 250 × 4 = 5,000 + 1,000 = 6,000. (2) Doubling: 250 × 24 = 500 × 12 = 1000 × 6 = 6,000 (doubling one factor and halving the other gives the same product). (3) Mental math: 250 × 24 = 25 × 24 × 10 = 600 × 10 = 6,000. Multi-step word problems on the ASVAB often require setting up the equation and computing the answer. Identify: what are the quantities? What operation links them? Cases × meals per case = total meals — multiplication. Verify reasonableness: 250 × 24 should be in the thousands; 6,000 fits. If the answer choices include both 1,200 (250 × 4 or wrong place value) and 6,000, the units and operations matter. Always double-check by estimating: 250 × 25 = 6,250; 6,000 is just slightly less than that, which is reasonable for 250 × 24.