Solving money word problems
Money problems are everyday stories about buying, saving and sharing. Use the four steps: understand, plan, solve and check.
Key idea
Understand → Plan → Solve → Check. Total means add, change means subtract, share equally means divide.
A worked word problem
Worked example
Hafiz buys a book for RM8.50 and pays with RM10.
Understand: find the change.
Plan: change = money given − price.
Solve: RM10.00 − RM8.50 = RM1.50.
Check: RM8.50 + RM1.50 = RM10.00. ✓
Sharing and totalling
If RM60 is shared equally among 4 friends, each gets RM60 ÷ 4 = RM15. Division shares an amount into equal parts. To find a total, add the parts: a lunch at RM5.50 and a drink at RM1.50 come to RM5.50 + RM1.50 = RM7.00. When there are two steps, do them in order: with RM100, spend RM45.50 then RM20, so RM100 − RM45.50 = RM54.50, and RM54.50 − RM20 = RM34.50 is left. Underline the numbers and the question word before you start.
Remember
- Read the question twice.
- Line up the decimal point (the sen).
- Check the answer makes sense.