Grades 3-5 Math Problem Solving in Action_ Getting Students to Love Word Problems

Figure 10.4 Fourth Grade Example: Level 3

Read the problem below and make a picture in your head.

Sue went skating at 4:15. She was gone for 3½ hours. What time did she come home?

What type of problem

is this?

Addition

Subtraction

Multiplication

Division

What are we looking for?

Model the problem with

a number line diagram.

Answer: _______________________units

Figure 10.5 Fourth Grade Example: Level 4

Read the problem below and make a picture in your head. Choose numbers

and fill in the blanks.

The bakery sold _______ boxes of cookies. Each box had ___________ cookies in it.

How many cookies did the bakery sell altogether?

What type of problem

is this?

Multiplication

Division

What are we looking for? Write an equation with a

symbol for the unknown.

Model the problem.

Write the solution equation with all the numbers filled in.

Answer: _______________________units

Figure 10.6 Third Grade Example: Level 5

Read the problem below and make a picture in your head.

Mary had $199. She got some more money. Now she has $325. How much money did

she get? If she needs $500 for her new bike, how much more money does she need to

save?

What type of problem

is this?

One-Step

Two-Step

What are we looking for? Write an equation(s) with a

symbol for the part that we are looking for.

Model the problem.

Write the equation(s) with the missing numbers in it

Answer: _______________________units