Understanding Word Problems in Math

This lesson teaches how to select the correct operation to solve word problems using pictures. It explains the difference between subtraction and division through examples involving pretzels and pizza. Subtraction involves taking away parts of a whole, while division involves breaking a group into equal parts without changing the total. The lesson concludes with a pizza problem to illustrate division, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right operation.

What is the primary goal of using pictures in solving word problems?

• To add more steps to the solution

• To help select the correct operation

• To make the problem more colorful

• To confuse the solver

In a subtraction word problem, what happens to the total group?

• It decreases

• It increases

• It multiplies

• It remains the same

If you have 9 pretzels and eat 2, how many are left?

• 2

• 7

• 11

• 9

In a division word problem, what happens to the total group?

• It decreases

• It is divided into parts but remains the same

• It increases

• It disappears

How many pretzels does each friend get if 9 pretzels are shared among 3 friends?

• 4

• 3

• 2

• 1

How many people are at the party if there are 26 slices of pizza and each person gets 2 slices?

• 13

• 15

• 12

• 10

What is the total number of groups formed when 26 slices of pizza are divided into groups of 2?

• 12

• 15

• 13

• 10

If you subtract instead of divide in the pizza problem, what would the incorrect total be?

• 24

• 26

• 30

• 28

What is the key takeaway from using pictures in solving word problems?

• Pictures are unnecessary

• Pictures are only for decoration

• Pictures help visualize and select the correct operation

• Pictures make problems harder

What is the main difference between subtraction and division in word problems?

• Both keep the total the same

• Subtraction increases the total, division decreases it

• Subtraction changes the total, division does not

• Both change the total