Home โบ Maths Blog โบ How to Solve Maths Word Problems in 5 Steps
๐ How to Solve Maths Word Problems in 5 Steps
Many children who can calculate perfectly well freeze at word problems. The maths is usually easy; the difficulty is turning words into a plan. A fixed routine helps.
The 5-step method
- Read it twice. First for the story, then for the numbers.
- Find the question. Underline exactly what is being asked โ it is usually the last sentence.
- Picture it. Draw a quick bar model or sketch.
- Choose the operation(s) and write the number sentence.
- Check it makes sense. Would a pencil really cost โน2,000?
Clue words (use with care)
| Operation | Common clue words |
|---|---|
| Add | altogether, in all, total, sum, more than |
| Subtract | left, remaining, difference, fewer, how many more |
| Multiply | each, every, times, groups of, per (when finding a total) |
| Divide | share equally, each gets, split, per (when finding one part) |
Clue words help, but they can trick you: "Riya has 5 more stickers than Aman, who has 12. How many does Riya have?" is addition, but "Riya has 17, Aman has 12 โ how many more does Riya have?" is subtraction. Always picture the story.
Worked examples
Class 3: A box holds 6 eggs. How many eggs are in 9 boxes? โ 9 groups of 6 โ 9 ร 6 = 54 eggs.
Class 4: Anu had โน500. She bought 3 books at โน85 each. How much is left? โ Two steps: 3 ร 85 = 255; 500 โ 255 = โน245.
Class 5: A train leaves at 9:45 am and arrives at 1:20 pm. How long is the journey? โ 9:45 to 12:45 is 3 h; 12:45 to 1:20 is 35 min โ 3 h 35 min.
Class 6 (working backwards): I think of a number, double it and add 7 to get 31. What was it? โ Undo in reverse: 31 โ 7 = 24, 24 รท 2 = 12.
Mistakes to watch for
- Answering a different question (finding the total when it asked what is left).
- Forgetting units โ km, โน, minutes.
- Stopping after step one of a two-step problem.
The Olympiad Prep "Everyday Mathematics" section is full of real-life word problems with step-by-step solutions โ a great way to build this skill.
Quick answers
How do you solve a maths word problem step by step?
Read it twice, underline the question, draw a quick picture, choose the operation and write the number sentence, then check the answer makes sense.
Why do children find word problems hard?
Because they must translate words into maths before calculating. Reading carefully, drawing the situation and practising different question types builds that skill.
What are key words in maths word problems?
Words like "altogether" (add), "left" (subtract), "each" (multiply) and "share equally" (divide). Use them as hints, but always check the meaning of the whole sentence.