Understanding Word Problems
Word problems tell us stories with numbers!
When we see a word problem, we need to find the important numbers and decide whether to add or subtract
them. Let's practice solving problems about toys, fruits, and other fun things!
How to Solve Word Problems
1️⃣ Read carefully - Find the numbers and what's happening
2️⃣ Decide - Should we add or subtract?
3️⃣ Solve - Write the number sentence and find the answer
Let's Practice Together!
Apple Orchard Problem
Emma picked 35 apples in the morning and 28 more apples in the afternoon. How many apples did she pick altogether?
We need to add the apples from morning and afternoon!
35 (morning) + 28 (afternoon) = 63 apples
Emma picked 63 apples in total! 🍎🍏
Toy Cars Problem
Liam had 72 toy cars. He gave 45 cars to his friend Jake for his birthday. How many cars does Liam have left?
We need to subtract the cars Liam gave away!
72 (original cars) - 45 (given away) = 27 cars
Liam has 27 cars left! 🚗💨
Parent Tips 🌟
- Make it real: Use everyday situations like sharing snacks or counting toys to create simple word problems.
- Highlight keywords: Teach your child to look for words like "altogether" (usually add) or "how many left" (usually subtract).
- Draw it out: Encourage your child to draw pictures to visualize the problem - it makes abstract numbers more concrete.