Become a math story detective! Learn to solve word problems by understanding stories, finding clues, drawing pictures, and writing equations. Real-world math adventures await!
Cultivate your problem-solving skills with these interactive detective activities!
Is it addition or subtraction?
Drag the important information!
🖱️ Drag options below to the correct boxes (computer) or click to move (mobile)
Turn words into math!
Does it make sense?
Click all correct options
Learn powerful strategies to solve any word problem with confidence! Become a math detective!
Word problems come in different flavors! JOINING problems are about putting things together (addition). SEPARATING problems are about taking things apart (subtraction). COMPARING problems ask 'how many more?' or 'how many fewer?' Be a problem type detective!
💡 Think of word problems like different story genres - each type tells a different kind of math story!
Join Together (Addition)
Emma has 5 toys. Gets 3 more. How many total? This is JOINING - use addition: 5+3=8!
Take Apart (Subtraction)
Jake has 12 cookies. Eats 4 cookies. How many left? This is SEPARATING - use subtraction: 12-4=8!
Compare More
Lisa has 9 stickers. Tom has 5 stickers. How many MORE does Lisa have? Compare: 9-5=4 more!
Part-Part-Whole
8 red apples and 7 green apples. How many apples total? Parts joining into whole: 8+7=15!
Not reading carefully to see if things are joining (add) or separating (subtract)!
Key words are CLUES that tell you what to do! Words like 'altogether,' 'total,' 'in all' mean ADD. Words like 'left,' 'fewer,' 'take away' mean SUBTRACT. But always read the WHOLE story - don't just hunt for words!
💡 Think of key words as treasure map markers pointing you toward the right operation!
Addition Keywords
'In all,' 'total,' 'altogether,' 'both,' 'sum' usually mean ADDITION time!
Subtraction Keywords
'Left,' 'remain,' 'fewer,' 'less,' 'take away,' 'difference' often mean SUBTRACTION!
Story Context Matters!
'Maria had 10 candies. She gave away 6. How many are left?' The word 'left' signals subtraction!
Tricky Example
'Sam has 7 balls. Needs 15 for a game. How many more?' 'More' here means SUBTRACT to find difference: 15-7=8!
Only looking for key words without understanding the story! Read the WHOLE problem first.
Drawing helps you SEE the problem! Draw simple pictures, circles, or boxes for objects. Show the action - arrows for joining, crossing out for taking away. Pictures turn confusing words into clear math!
💡 Your drawing doesn't need to be fancy - simple circles and boxes work like magic!
Circle Drawing
Problem: '6 birds on tree, 4 fly away.' Draw 6 circles (birds), cross out 4. Count remaining: 2!
Box Method
Problem: '5 apples + 8 apples.' Draw 5 boxes, then 8 more boxes. Count all: 13 boxes!
Number Line Picture
Draw a number line! Show jumps forward for addition, jumps back for subtraction!
Part-Part-Whole Diagram
Draw a big circle (whole) with two smaller circles inside (parts). Visual structure!
Drawing too much detail! Simple shapes are faster and clearer than fancy pictures.
After understanding the story, write a NUMBER SENTENCE! Turn the word problem into math symbols: numbers, +, -, and =. This makes the problem clear and easy to solve!
💡 Think of an equation as translating a story from English into the language of math!
From Words to Numbers
Story: 'Mia has 7 crayons, gets 6 more.' Equation: 7 + 6 = ? Then solve: 7+6=13!
Subtraction Story
Story: '15 balloons, 8 pop.' Equation: 15 - 8 = ? Then solve: 15-8=7!
Unknown in Different Places
Sometimes the ? is at the end: 5+?=12 or at the start: ?+7=10. Same solving strategy!
Complete Sentence
Always write the full equation with answer: 9+4=13 (not just '9+4' or '13')!
Writing the equation backwards! If the story says 'had 10, gave away 3,' write 10-3, not 3-10!
Always CHECK if your answer makes sense! Read the problem again with your answer. Does it sound right? If you added, did the number get bigger? If you subtracted, did it get smaller? Be a checker, not just a solver!
💡 Think of checking like being a detective - make sure all the clues match your solution!
Reality Check
Problem: '8 kids playing, 5 more join.' Answer: 13 kids. Check: 13 is greater than 8? YES! Makes sense!
Subtraction Sense
Problem: '14 apples, eat 6.' Answer: 8 apples. Check: 8 is less than 14? YES! Correct direction!
Use Opposite Operation
Solved 9+7=16? Check backwards: 16-7=9 or 16-9=7. If true, answer is correct!
Estimate First
Before solving exactly, estimate: '11+8 should be close to 20.' Get 19? That makes sense!
Forgetting to check! Or checking without thinking if the answer makes sense in the real world.
Some problems need TWO steps! First, solve one part, then use that answer to solve the next part. It's like climbing stairs - one step at a time! Don't rush - break big problems into smaller pieces!
💡 Think of multi-step problems like a recipe - follow each step in order to get the final result!
Two Operations
Story: '5 red balloons, 7 blue balloons, 3 pop.' Step 1: 5+7=12. Step 2: 12-3=9 balloons left!
Shopping Problem
Buy toy for $8, game for $6. Pay with $20. Step 1: 8+6=14 spent. Step 2: 20-14=6 change!
Classroom Story
12 pencils, use 5, get 8 more. Step 1: 12-5=7. Step 2: 7+8=15 pencils now!
Garden Adventure
Plant 6 flowers, then 9 more, 4 don't grow. Step 1: 6+9=15. Step 2: 15-4=11 growing!
Trying to solve everything at once! Break it down - solve step by step, write down each answer.
Word problems connect math to REAL LIFE! Shopping, cooking, playing games, sharing toys - it's all math! When you see math in your daily life, problems become fun stories, not boring work!
💡 Think of math as the superpower that helps you navigate the real world every single day!
Playground Math
8 kids on swings, 5 on slides. How many total? 8+5=13 kids playing!
Snack Time
Box has 18 crackers. You eat 7. Brother eats 6. How many left? 18-7-6=5 crackers!
Sports Counting
Basketball team scores 9 points, then 8 more. Total score? 9+8=17 points!
Pet Math
Dog has 12 treats. Eats 4 in morning, 3 at night. How many left? 12-4-3=5 treats!
Birthday Party
Invited 15 friends. 3 can't come. How many coming? 15-3=12 friends!
Not connecting school math to home life! Look for math opportunities everywhere - it makes learning stick!
Follow these STEPS every time: 1) READ carefully 2) UNDERLINE key information 3) DRAW a picture 4) WRITE the equation 5) SOLVE 6) CHECK your answer. Having a strategy makes you a problem-solving pro!
💡 Think of this checklist as your math GPS - it guides you step-by-step to the right answer!
The Full Process
Problem: '9 toys, get 6 more.' READ✓ KEY WORDS: 'get more'=add✓ DRAW: 9+6 circles✓ WRITE: 9+6=?✓ SOLVE: 15✓ CHECK: 15 is greater than 9✓!
Don't Skip Steps!
Even when a problem seems easy, follow all steps! Good habits make hard problems easier later!
Ask Questions
What do I know? What do I need to find? What operation should I use? Questions lead to answers!
Practice Makes Perfect
The more word problems you solve using this strategy, the faster and better you become!
Stay Organized
Write neatly, show your work, label your answer. Organization helps you (and others) understand your thinking!
Rushing through without a plan! Slow down and follow the steps - accuracy beats speed!
Test your detective skills with real word problem challenges!
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