Four steps to solve word problems
Word problems tell a short story. Use four steps: Understand what is asked, Plan which operation to use, Solve it carefully, and Check that the answer makes sense. Reading the question slowly is the most important step of all.
Key idea
Words that hint at operations: 'altogether' and 'total' → add; 'left' and 'how many more' → subtract; 'each' with groups → multiply; 'shared equally' → divide.
Worked example
Worked example
A book has 320 pages. Ali reads 45 pages each day for 5 days. How many pages are left?
Plan: multiply then subtract.
Read: 45 × 5 = 225 pages.
Left: 320 − 225 = 95 pages.
Check: 225 + 95 = 320. ✓
Two-step problems
Some problems need two steps. First work out the middle number, then use it to find the answer. Writing a clear number sentence before you calculate keeps the two steps in the right order and makes checking easy.
Remember
- Read the question twice before starting.
- Write the number sentence before calculating.
- Check your answer against the story.
- Give the answer with its unit, like RM or pages.