Word problems: plus and minus
You learn the five steps for solving a word problem.
How to work it out
- Tap the numbers you need.
- Choose the operation: +, −, × or ÷.
- Write the equation.
- Choose how to calculate.
- Check if your answer makes sense.
- 1Numberswhich ones do you need?
- 2What is happening?+ − × :
- 3Write it downthe sum
- 4How?choose how you work it out
- 5Work it outand check it
A worked example
Mia has 6 sweets. Her mum gives her 4 more. How many does she have now?
- Read: I need to find how many Mia has now.
- Numbers: 6 and 4.
- What happens: Mia gets more, that is plus.
- Sum: 6 + 4.
- Work it out: 10.
- Check: does 6 + 4 = 10? Yes.
Try it yourself
This is best practised in the real exercise, where you click, drag or tap yourself.
Practise thisWatch out
You use every number in the story, even the number of weeks.
For each number, ask yourself: do I need this for the question? If a number is just there, leave it.
You choose the sum because of one word in the story.
Look at what happens: is something added, taken away, is it the same amount each time, or is it shared?
Tips
- The five steps are: read, find the numbers, describe what happens, work out the sum, and check the answer.
Why it works
A word problem has five steps: read (do you know the question?), the numbers (which do you need?), describe (what happens?), work it out (the sum), and check (is the answer right?).