Word Problem Key Words

If a problem states 'how many in each', what operation should you use?

• Addition

• Subtraction

• Multiplication

• Division

What key word indicates multiplication in a word problem?

• each

• total

• in all

• add

What is an example of a division word problem?

• If there are 20 cookies and 4 friends want to share them equally, how many cookies does each friend get? (20 ÷ 4 = 5 cookies each)

• A farmer has 30 apples and wants to put them into bags of 6. How many bags can he fill? (30 ÷ 6 = 5 bags)

• A teacher has 24 pencils and wants to distribute them to 8 students. How many pencils does each student receive? (24 ÷ 8 = 3 pencils each)

• If a baker has 15 cupcakes and wants to divide them among 5 customers, how many cupcakes does each customer get? (15 ÷ 5 = 2 cupcakes each)

What should you do after solving a word problem?

• Check your answer to see if it makes sense in the context of the problem.

• Ignore the answer and move on to the next problem.

• Rewrite the problem in a different way.

• Ask someone else to check your answer.

What is an example of a multiplication word problem?

• If there are 5 baskets with 4 apples in each, how many apples are there in total? (5 x 4 = 20 apples)

• A train travels 60 miles in 1 hour. How far will it travel in 3 hours? (60 x 3 = 180 miles)

• If a farmer has 7 fields and plants 10 seeds in each, how many seeds does he plant? (7 x 10 = 70 seeds)

• A baker makes 12 loaves of bread each day. How many loaves does he make in a week? (12 x 7 = 84 loaves)

If a problem states 'total number of', what operation should you use?

• Subtraction

• Division

• Addition or multiplication

• Exponentiation

Why is it important to identify key words in word problems?

• It helps you memorize the problem better.

• It allows you to ignore unnecessary information.

• Identifying key words helps you determine which mathematical operation to use, making it easier to solve the problem.

• It makes the problem look more complex.

What is multiplication?

• A mathematical operation where a number is added to itself a certain number of times.

• A method of dividing a number into equal parts.

• A technique for finding the square root of a number.

• A process of calculating the average of a set of numbers.

What does 'in all' mean in a word problem?

• It indicates that you need to subtract numbers to find a difference.

• It usually indicates that you need to add numbers together to find a total.

• It suggests that you should multiply numbers to find a product.

• It means you should divide numbers to find a quotient.

How can you tell if you need to add or multiply?

• If the problem involves groups of the same size, you likely need to multiply.

• If the problem involves only one amount, you likely need to multiply.

• If the problem involves combining different amounts, you likely need to add.

• If the problem involves fractions, you likely need to add.