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Solving Basic Word Problems

Most of your math assignments include at least two or three word problems. The best way to solve word problems is to follow a process. That way you won’t miss any important details. Here’s a process to try:

Four-Step Process

1. Read the problem.

Be sure you understand all the parts. Look for any key words like “how many” or “in all.”

2. Decide what you need to do.

Do you have to add a series of numbers? Do you have to multiply or subtract? Do you have to do more than one thing—maybe add, then subtract?

3. Solve the problem.

There may be more than one way to solve a problem. Page 393 shows you five strategies for figuring out the same problem. (Remember, show all of your work so you can check it later.)