DEMYSTIFYING WORD PROBLEMS

LOCATING KEY WORDSIN MATH PROBLEMS

EXAMPLE OF AN ADDITION PROBLEM

• DAVID RODE HIS BICYCLE FOR 17 MILES ON SATURDAY.

• ON SUNDAY, HE RODE HIS BICYCLE FOR 25 MILES.

• HOW MANY MILES DID HE RIDE ALTOGETHER ???

THIS ONE IS EASY

YOU KNOW THE KEY WORD IS:

ALTOGETHER

Take the frustration out of word problems by following these steps:

Scan the problem

Underline numbers and key words in the problem

Don’t forget !!!!!!

Don’t forget !!!!!!

Word clues for addition

Altogether

Increased by

sum

total

+

Clues for subtraction

Difference

More….than

Less than

Decreased by

farther than

-

Clues for multiplication

Product

Times

Twice ( x 2)

When finding several of a given amount

When comparing one amount to another

x

Clues for division

Quotient

Split

Divided by

Given an amount of many and finding one

When sharing, cutting, splitting