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Free Math Worksheets — Over 100k free practice problems on Khan Academy

Looking for free math worksheets.

You’ve found something even better!

That’s because Khan Academy has over 100,000 free practice questions. And they’re even better than traditional math worksheets – more instantaneous, more interactive, and more fun!

Just choose your grade level or topic to get access to 100% free practice questions:

Kindergarten, basic geometry, pre-algebra, algebra basics, high school geometry.

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High school statistics, ap®︎/college statistics, precalculus, differential calculus, integral calculus, ap®︎/college calculus ab, ap®︎/college calculus bc, multivariable calculus, differential equations, linear algebra.

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• Prepare for the 2020 AP®︎ Statistics Exam
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• AP Calculus AB solved free response questions from past exams
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• Integrals review
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• Integrating multivariable functions
• Green’s, Stokes’, and the divergence theorems
• First order differential equations
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• Laplace transform
• Vectors and spaces
• Matrix transformations
• Alternate coordinate systems (bases)

Frequently Asked Questions about Khan Academy and Math Worksheets

Why is khan academy even better than traditional math worksheets.

Khan Academy’s 100,000+ free practice questions give instant feedback, don’t need to be graded, and don’t require a printer.

What do Khan Academy’s interactive math worksheets look like?

Here’s an example:

What are teachers saying about Khan Academy’s interactive math worksheets?

“My students love Khan Academy because they can immediately learn from their mistakes, unlike traditional worksheets.”

Is Khan Academy free?

Khan Academy’s practice questions are 100% free—with no ads or subscriptions.

What do Khan Academy’s interactive math worksheets cover?

Our 100,000+ practice questions cover every math topic from arithmetic to calculus, as well as ELA, Science, Social Studies, and more.

Is Khan Academy a company?

Khan Academy is a nonprofit with a mission to provide a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere.

Want to get even more out of Khan Academy?

Then be sure to check out our teacher tools . They’ll help you assign the perfect practice for each student from our full math curriculum and track your students’ progress across the year. Plus, they’re also 100% free — with no subscriptions and no ads.

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What can QuickMath do?

QuickMath will automatically answer the most common problems in algebra, equations and calculus faced by high-school and college students.

• The algebra section allows you to expand, factor or simplify virtually any expression you choose. It also has commands for splitting fractions into partial fractions, combining several fractions into one and cancelling common factors within a fraction.
• The equations section lets you solve an equation or system of equations. You can usually find the exact answer or, if necessary, a numerical answer to almost any accuracy you require.
• The inequalities section lets you solve an inequality or a system of inequalities for a single variable. You can also plot inequalities in two variables.
• The calculus section will carry out differentiation as well as definite and indefinite integration.
• The matrices section contains commands for the arithmetic manipulation of matrices.
• The graphs section contains commands for plotting equations and inequalities.
• The numbers section has a percentages command for explaining the most common types of percentage problems and a section for dealing with scientific notation.

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Basic Arithmetic

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Problem Solving in Mathematics

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The main reason for learning about math is to become a better problem solver in all aspects of life. Many problems are multistep and require some type of systematic approach. There are a couple of things you need to do when solving problems. Ask yourself exactly what type of information is being asked for: Is it one of addition, subtraction, multiplication , or division? Then determine all the information that is being given to you in the question.

Mathematician George Pólya’s book, “ How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method ,” written in 1957, is a great guide to have on hand. The ideas below, which provide you with general steps or strategies to solve math problems, are similar to those expressed in Pólya’s book and should help you untangle even the most complicated math problem.

Use Established Procedures

Learning how to solve problems in mathematics is knowing what to look for. Math problems often require established procedures and knowing what procedure to apply. To create procedures, you have to be familiar with the problem situation and be able to collect the appropriate information, identify a strategy or strategies, and use the strategy appropriately.

Problem-solving requires practice. When deciding on methods or procedures to use to solve problems, the first thing you will do is look for clues, which is one of the most important skills in solving problems in mathematics. If you begin to solve problems by looking for clue words, you will find that these words often indicate an operation.

Look for Clue Words

Think of yourself as a math detective. The first thing to do when you encounter a math problem is to look for clue words. This is one of the most important skills you can develop. If you begin to solve problems by looking for clue words, you will find that those words often indicate an operation.

Common clue words for addition  problems:

Common clue words for  subtraction  problems:

• How much more

Common clue words for multiplication problems:

Common clue words for division problems:

Although clue words will vary a bit from problem to problem, you'll soon learn to recognize which words mean what in order to perform the correct operation.

Read the Problem Carefully

This, of course, means looking for clue words as outlined in the previous section. Once you’ve identified your clue words, highlight or underline them. This will let you know what kind of problem you’re dealing with. Then do the following:

• Ask yourself if you've seen a problem similar to this one. If so, what is similar about it?
• What did you need to do in that instance?
• What facts are you given about this problem?
• What facts do you still need to find out about this problem?

Develop a Plan and Review Your Work

Based on what you discovered by reading the problem carefully and identifying similar problems you’ve encountered before, you can then:

• Define your problem-solving strategy or strategies. This might mean identifying patterns, using known formulas, using sketches, and even guessing and checking.
• If your strategy doesn't work, it may lead you to an ah-ha moment and to a strategy that does work.

If it seems like you’ve solved the problem, ask yourself the following:

• Does your solution seem probable?
• Does it answer the initial question?
• Did you answer using the language in the question?
• Did you answer using the same units?

If you feel confident that the answer is “yes” to all questions, consider your problem solved.

Tips and Hints

Some key questions to consider as you approach the problem may be:

• What are the keywords in the problem?
• Do I need a data visual, such as a diagram, list, table, chart, or graph?
• Is there a formula or equation that I'll need? If so, which one?
• Will I need to use a calculator? Is there a pattern I can use or follow?

Read the problem carefully, and decide on a method to solve the problem. Once you've finished working the problem, check your work and ensure that your answer makes sense and that you've used the same terms and or units in your answer.

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• Study Tips for Math Homework and Math Tests
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100% FREE TO USE

Usable Math

(formerly 4mality), a digital playground for math learning through problem solving and design.

Usable Math provides interactive problem solving practice for 3rd through 6th grade students learning mathematical reasoning and computation through creative writing, NoCode slideshow design, and human-AI collaboration.

• MATH MODULES

Math Friends

Featuring four coaches Estella Explainer, Chef Math Bear, How-to Hound, and Visual Vicuna who offer reading, computation, strategy, and visual strategies for solving math problems.

Estella Explainer

"I help children understand the language and meaning of questions using kid-friendly vocabulary."

Chef Math Bear

"I provide computational strategies (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) for solving problems."

How-to-Hound

" I present strategic thinking clues (rounding, estimation, elimination of wrong answers). "

Visual Vicuna

" I offer ways to see problems and their solutions using animations, pictures, charts and graphs. "

The coaches annotate hints and provide feedback to help students with various levels of knowledge solve mathematical word problems using a wide range of strategies.

Math and ISTE Standards Based

Usable Math aims to teach mathematics concepts and problem solving skills based on the Massachusetts Mathematics Curriculum Framework and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Usable Math supports ISTE Standards for Students : Empowered Learner (1.1), Knowledge Constructor (1.3), and Computational Thinker (1.5).

Open Education Resource

Usable Math is an open education resource project developed in the College of Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Usable Math received a 2023 classroom grant from MassCUE (Massachusetts Computer Using Educators) . An initial version called 4mality was developed with funding support from the Verizon Foundation and a grant from the US Department of Education, Institute of Education (IES).

BROWSE MATH MODULES

Storywriting, history, and science modules, a jenny-the-fisher math and citizen scientist adventure, math & science, a tai-the-math historian time travel adventure, math & history, ai-enhanced, a sofia-the-forester adventure, math & storywriting, math problem-solving and design modules, area and perimeter, total problems: 6.

Total problems: 8

Multiplication and Division

Algebraic Thinking

Total problems: 7

Measurement

Total problems: 10.

Geometry: Lines and Lines of Symmetry

Geometry: Maps + Grids + Ordered Pairs

Charts & Graphs

Geometry: Figures, Shapes and Angles

Total problems: 11

Add & Take Away

Place Value

Total problems: 14.

Total problems: 9

Total problems: 5

More coming soon, welcome to usable math. in this interactive website, you will find learning modules designed to develop mathematical problem solving skills among young learners in grades 3 to 6..

Our Modules explore standards-based math concepts including Fractions, Measurement, Geometry, Decimals, Money, and more. Usable Math is free to access using a computer, smartphone, or iPad.

What do we mean by Usable Math?

The word Usable can read as follows:

U Able meaning you can do math problem solving.

Us Able meaning together all of us can do math problem solving.

Usable meaning anyone is able to learn math problem solving - with practice, effort, and support.

What are the Usable Math Learning Modules?

Each learning module in Usable Math consists of a group of math word problems related to a specific mathematical concept. The problems are based on the Massachusetts Mathematics Curriculum Framework↗ as well as Common Core Standards↗ .

Each problem within a module consists of a question, three to four possible answer choices, and problem solving ideas and strategies provided by our four coaches: Estella Explainer, Chef Math Bear, How-to-Hound, and Visual Vicuna.

How are the Modules Displayed online?

Each module has been developed using Google Slides.

Click. Pause. Solve.

View each module in Slideshow.

How do teachers, students and families use each module?

We strive to make every module on Usable Math kid friendly . Clicking on a module from the selections on the Modules Homepage , each user controls what happens during the learning experience by clicking to open strategies and spending time thinking about them before answering the question. The goal is for students, by themselves, in small groups, or with a teacher, or a family member, to analyze and understand what the problem is asking them to solve before providing an answer.

A question appears without its answer choices or any problem solving strategies.

Click one time and Estella offers a problem solving strategy.

Click again and the Bear offers a different strategy.

Click again and the Hound presents a strategy.

Click again and the Vicuna has an additional strategy approach.

The next click gives the four answer choices, but not yet the correct answer.

The final click highlights the correct answer from among the answer choices.

Before going to the next problem, a motivational statement and gif appears offering encouragement to the users.

What is the purpose of the Motivational Statements between Problems?

Each motivational statement is intended to provide feedback and encouragement to students using the system. Following the insights of researchers into the use of praise and the development of growth mindsets in young learners, these motivational statements are designed to reward students’ effort, hard work, persistence, and belief in one’s self as a learner. We want youngsters to realize that they can learn anything with the right tools, the right beliefs, the right coaches, and their own work and practice.

Need more help? Or have a question?

Reach out to us and we will do our best to get back to you within 12 hours.

RESEARCH AND RESOURCES

We believe that every child deserves a strong foundation in mathematics. our platform is designed to provide engaging and effective math instruction to elementary school students, and we are proud to say that there is science behind the way we deliver this instruction..

UsableMath was formerly known as 4MALITY. As a result of our commitment to providing the best possible math instruction to elementary school students, we have rebranded our platform as UsableMath.com to better reflect our mission and approach to teaching mathematics.

Our platform is designed to provide engaging and effective math instruction to students in grades K-5, using a unique approach that emphasizes hands-on, problem-solving activities. We use interactive, multimedia elements such as videos, games, and simulations to help students understand key mathematical concepts and build a strong foundation of knowledge.

Math Coaches

The use of virtual coaches that provides students with personalized support and feedback, has become increasingly popular in the field of math education. Research has shown that learning companions can be effective in improving student engagement and motivation, as well as helping students to better understand mathematical concepts and build a stronger foundation of knowledge. UsableMath employs the concept of learning companions to help students succeed in mathematics. Our virtual math coaches serve as personal guides, providing students with individualized support and feedback as they work through mathematical concepts and problems. These coaches, or learning companions, are designed to be like friends or mentors, helping students to build their confidence, overcome challenges, and achieve their full potential.

How are we using Generative AI to enhance Usable Math Modules?

As developers of Usable Math, we are aware of both the educational potentials and complexities of Generative AI technologies. In our system, ChatGPT is used to support teachers and other adults to expand and enhance how math can be understood and taught in schools and homes. When you click on the AI icon, you are linked to a blog where we have recorded how AI proposes to solve selected math word problems found in Usable Math modules in a side-by-side view next to the hints we have authored from the perspectives of our four math coaches: Estella Explainer, Chef Math Bear, How-to-Hound, and Visual Vicuna. Our hope is that our strategies along with the AI-developed strategies will give adults more ways to inspire math learning among students.

Look for this icon for AI-enhanced guides.

Prompts for ChatGPT, BingAI and Other Generative AI Tools

Estella Explainer Prompt:

Take the personality of a math coach who provides strategies for understanding language and meaning of questions using kid-friendly vocabulary. The coach’s motto is "My job is to explain the math questions clearly so you know what you are supposed to do to solve the problem. Sometimes there are unfamiliar or confusing terms in the question. I will help you understand what they mean. The first math problem is {replace math word problem here}

Chef Math Bear Prompt:

Take the personality of a math coach who provides computational strategies (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) for solving problems. The coach’s motto is “I am here to make sure that you know how to do the math needed to answer these questions. Sometimes you need to do addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. Some questions ask you to use fractions, decimals, large numbers, and probability. When you need ideas for what to do, I am ready.

How-to-Hound Prompt:

Take the personality of a math coach who uses strategic thinking clues (rounding, estimation, elimination of wrong answers) to solve math problems. The coach’s motto is “Answering math questions means you need a plan and my role is to help you figure out different strategies for solving problems. Sometimes you can get the correct answer by crossing out the wrong answers; other times you can round numbers up or down to make figuring a problem easier. I know other strategies as well.

Visual Vicuna Prompt:

Take the personality of a math coach who offers ways to see problems and their solutions using animations, pictures, charts and graphs. The coach’s motto is “I find math is a lot clearer when I take the numbers and words and put them into pictures and drawings or move objects around so I can see how to answer a question. When you find yourself unsure about a question, see if one of my ideas will explain what to do.

Growth Mindset Statements

As education researchers, we understand the important role that a positive attitude and motivation play in learner success. That's why we’ve integrated the use of growth mindset and motivational cues in Usable Math. After every math challenge, students receive messages that encourage them to adopt a growth mindset, reinforcing the idea that with effort and persistence, they can improve their math skills and achieve success.

A sample motivational cue from the Fractions module.

Collaborative Problem Solving

We believe in the power of collaboration and teamwork when it comes to learning mathematics. Our platform creates a learning climate that promotes collaborative problem solving, providing students with opportunities to work together and explore mathematical concepts in a supportive and inclusive environment. Whether you are a student, teacher, or parent, we invite you to explore our platform and experience the science behind the way we deliver math instruction to elementary school students. Read more about our work on the Journal of STEM Education↗

Papers, Presentations and Blogs

UsableMath GenAI Prompts: Learn Math with Our Tailor-Made Prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, and other GenAI tools. Usable Math Blog. https://blog.usablemath.org/usablemath-genai-prompts .

Maloy, R. W. & Gattupalli, S. (2024). Prompt Literacy. EdTechnica: The Open Encyclopedia of Educational Technology . https://edtechbooks.org/encyclopedia/prompt_literacy

Gattupalli, S., & Maloy, R. W. (2024). On Human-Centered AI in Education. https://doi.org/10.7275/KXAP-FN13

Gattupalli, S., Edwards, S.A, Maloy, R. W., & Rancourt, M. (2023, October). Designing for Learning: Key Decisions for an Open Online Math Tutor for Elementary Students. Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education . https://doi.org/10.1007/s40751-023-00128-3 .

Gattupalli, S., Maloy, R.W., Edwards, S.A. & Gearty, A. (2023, August 23). Prompt Literacy for STEM Educators: Enhance Your Teaching and Learning with Generative AI. Berkshire Resources for Learning and Innovation (BRLI) Teaching with Technology Conference, Pittsfield, MA. ScholarWorks@UMass.

Blending Gardens and Geometry: Socio-cultural Approaches in Math Ed. Usable Math Blog. https://blog.usablemath.org/blending-gardens-and-geometry-socio-cultural-approaches-in-math-education .

Maloy, R. W., Gattupalli, S., & Edwards, S. A. (2023). Developing Usable Math Online Tutor for Elementary Math Learners with NoCode Tools . Scholarworks@UMass.

Gattupalli, S., Maloy, R. W., & Edwards, S. A. (2023). Prompt Literacy: A Pivotal Educational Skill in the Age of AI . Scholarworks@UMass.

Gattupalli, S., Maloy, R. W., & Edwards, S. (2023). Comparing Teacher-Written and AI-Generated Math Problem Solving Strategies for Elementary School Students: Implications for Classroom Learning . https://doi.org/10.7275/8sgx-xj08

Making Math Usable for Young Learners . Guest post on Rachelle Dené Poth's EdTech blog Learning as I go: Experiences, Reflections, Lessons Learned . January, 2023.

Math Learning Digital Choice Board (2020) . ScholarWorks, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Maloy, R.W., Razzaq, L., & Edwards, S.A. (2014). Learning by Choosing: Fourth Graders Use of an Online Multimedia Tutoring System for Math Problem Solving . Journal of Interactive Learning Research , 25(1), 51-64.

Razzaq, L., Maloy, R. W., Edwards, S. A., Arroyo, I., & Woolf, B.P. (2011). “4MALITY: Coaching Students with Different Problem Solving Strategies Using an Online Tutoring System” (p. 359-364). In J. A. Konstan, Ricardo Conejo, Jose L, Marzo & Nuria Oliver, User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization: 19th International Conference, UMAP 2011, Girona, Spain, July 11-15 Proceedings . Berlin: Springer Verlag.

Maloy, R.W., Edwards,S. A. & Anderson G. (2010, January-June). “Teaching Math Problem Solving Using a Web-based Tutoring System, Learning Games, and Students’ Writing .” Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 11 (1&2).

Edwards, S. A., Maloy, R.W., & Anderson G. (2010, February). “Classroom Characters Coach Students to Success.” Teaching Children Mathematics, 16 (6), 342-349.

Edwards, S. A., Maloy, R. W., & Anderson G. (2009, Summer). “Reading Coaching of Math Word Problems.” Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse . http://www.literacycoachingonline.org/briefs.html .

MEET OUR TEAM

Sharon Edwards , Ph.D.

Teacher Education & Curriculum Studies

College of Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Sharon (she/her) is a clinical faculty in the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies in the College of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Sharon is the big brains behind the development of Usable Math online math tutor.

Email : sae at umass dot edu

Robert Maloy , Ph.D.

Elementary Math and History

Bob (he/him) is a history and math senior lecturer in the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies in the College of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Bob is the creative math content creator and storytelling artist behind Usable Math.

Email : rwm at umass dot edu

Sai Gattupalli

Math, Science & Learning Technologies (MSLT)

Sai (he/him) is a PhD candidate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he researches education technology to make STEM teaching and learning and more effective. Sai is passionate about understanding learner culture to create effective learning experiences. Email : sgattupalli at umass dot edu Website : gattupalli.com

Marguerite Rancourt

Lead Teacher, Discovery School at Four Corners

Greenfield, Massachusetts

Marguerite (she/her) teaches fourth grade at the Discovery School in addition to serving as Lead Teacher for the school. She has created and taught professional development workshop for other elementary school teachers. In 2018, she received the Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award. Students in her class have been contributing to the design of system throughout the 2022-2023 school year.

Aubrey Coyne

Math Content Designer and Reviewer

College of Education, Commonwealth Honors College, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Aubrey Coyne (she/her) is a sophomore at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a math tutor and is studying to be an elementary teacher. Aubrey is passionate about finding ways to make learning accessible and enjoyable for all students.

Graduate Student, Math and Digital Media Research Assistant

Sara Shea (she/her) is a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is currently part of the university’s Collaborative Teacher Education Pathway program, working towards earning her master’s degree in elementary education.

Katie Allan

Math and Digital Media Research Assistant

Katie Allan (she/her) is a senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a math major with a concentration in education and passionate about math education.

SUGGESTIONS AND FEEDBACK

We welcome ideas from teachers, students, and families about the usable math system..

Please complete our UsableMath Module Review and Feedback↗ form.

Your responses will help us to improve how the system works instructionally and technically. Let us know any additional thoughts about the problems, characters, hints, gifs, mindset statements and more.

Your message has been received. We will get back to you shortly. The average response time is approximately 6 hours.

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120 Math Word Problems To Challenge Students Grades 1 to 8

Written by Marcus Guido

Hey teachers! 👋

Use Prodigy to spark a love for math in your students – including when solving word problems!

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• Ratios and percentages
• Probability and data relationships

You sit at your desk, ready to put a math quiz, test or activity together. The questions flow onto the document until you hit a section for word problems.

A jolt of creativity would help. But it doesn’t come.

Whether you’re a 3rd grade teacher or an 8th grade teacher preparing students for high school, translating math concepts into real world examples can certainly be a challenge.

This resource is your jolt of creativity. It provides examples and templates of math word problems for 1st to 8th grade classes.

There are 120 examples in total.

The list of examples is supplemented by tips to create engaging and challenging math word problems.

120 Math word problems, categorized by skill

Addition word problems.

Best for: 1st grade, 2nd grade

1. Adding to 10: Ariel was playing basketball. 1 of her shots went in the hoop. 2 of her shots did not go in the hoop. How many shots were there in total?

2. Adding to 20: Adrianna has 10 pieces of gum to share with her friends. There wasn’t enough gum for all her friends, so she went to the store to get 3 more pieces of gum. How many pieces of gum does Adrianna have now?

3. Adding to 100: Adrianna has 10 pieces of gum to share with her friends. There wasn’t enough gum for all her friends, so she went to the store and got 70 pieces of strawberry gum and 10 pieces of bubble gum. How many pieces of gum does Adrianna have now?

4. Adding Slightly over 100: The restaurant has 175 normal chairs and 20 chairs for babies. How many chairs does the restaurant have in total?

5. Adding to 1,000: How many cookies did you sell if you sold 320 chocolate cookies and 270 vanilla cookies?

6. Adding to and over 10,000: The hobby store normally sells 10,576 trading cards per month. In June, the hobby store sold 15,498 more trading cards than normal. In total, how many trading cards did the hobby store sell in June?

7. Adding 3 Numbers: Billy had 2 books at home. He went to the library to take out 2 more books. He then bought 1 book. How many books does Billy have now?

8. Adding 3 Numbers to and over 100: Ashley bought a big bag of candy. The bag had 102 blue candies, 100 red candies and 94 green candies. How many candies were there in total?

Subtraction word problems

Best for: 1st grade, second grade

9. Subtracting to 10: There were 3 pizzas in total at the pizza shop. A customer bought 1 pizza. How many pizzas are left?

10. Subtracting to 20: Your friend said she had 11 stickers. When you helped her clean her desk, she only had a total of 10 stickers. How many stickers are missing?

11. Subtracting to 100: Adrianna has 100 pieces of gum to share with her friends. When she went to the park, she shared 10 pieces of strawberry gum. When she left the park, Adrianna shared another 10 pieces of bubble gum. How many pieces of gum does Adrianna have now?

Practice math word problems with Prodigy Math

Join millions of teachers using Prodigy to make learning fun and differentiate instruction as they answer in-game questions, including math word problems from 1st to 8th grade!

12. Subtracting Slightly over 100: Your team scored a total of 123 points. 67 points were scored in the first half. How many were scored in the second half?

13. Subtracting to 1,000: Nathan has a big ant farm. He decided to sell some of his ants. He started with 965 ants. He sold 213. How many ants does he have now?

14. Subtracting to and over 10,000: The hobby store normally sells 10,576 trading cards per month. In July, the hobby store sold a total of 20,777 trading cards. How many more trading cards did the hobby store sell in July compared with a normal month?

15. Subtracting 3 Numbers: Charlene had a pack of 35 pencil crayons. She gave 6 to her friend Theresa. She gave 3 to her friend Mandy. How many pencil crayons does Charlene have left?

16. Subtracting 3 Numbers to and over 100: Ashley bought a big bag of candy to share with her friends. In total, there were 296 candies. She gave 105 candies to Marissa. She also gave 86 candies to Kayla. How many candies were left?

Multiplication word problems

Best for: 2nd grade, 3rd grade

17. Multiplying 1-Digit Integers: Adrianna needs to cut a pan of brownies into pieces. She cuts 6 even columns and 3 even rows into the pan. How many brownies does she have?

18. Multiplying 2-Digit Integers: A movie theatre has 25 rows of seats with 20 seats in each row. How many seats are there in total?

19. Multiplying Integers Ending with 0: A clothing company has 4 different kinds of sweatshirts. Each year, the company makes 60,000 of each kind of sweatshirt. How many sweatshirts does the company make each year?

20. Multiplying 3 Integers: A bricklayer stacks bricks in 2 rows, with 10 bricks in each row. On top of each row, there is a stack of 6 bricks. How many bricks are there in total?

21. Multiplying 4 Integers: Cayley earns $5 an hour by delivering newspapers. She delivers newspapers 3 days each week, for 4 hours at a time. After delivering newspapers for 8 weeks, how much money will Cayley earn?

Division word problems

Best for: 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade

22. Dividing 1-Digit Integers: If you have 4 pieces of candy split evenly into 2 bags, how many pieces of candy are in each bag?

23. Dividing 2-Digit Integers: If you have 80 tickets for the fair and each ride costs 5 tickets, how many rides can you go on?

24. Dividing Numbers Ending with 0: The school has $20,000 to buy new computer equipment. If each piece of equipment costs $50, how many pieces can the school buy in total?

25. Dividing 3 Integers: Melissa buys 2 packs of tennis balls for $12 in total. All together, there are 6 tennis balls. How much does 1 pack of tennis balls cost? How much does 1 tennis ball cost?

26. Interpreting Remainders: An Italian restaurant receives a shipment of 86 veal cutlets. If it takes 3 cutlets to make a dish, how many cutlets will the restaurant have left over after making as many dishes as possible?

Mixed operations word problems

27. Mixing Addition and Subtraction: There are 235 books in a library. On Monday, 123 books are taken out. On Tuesday, 56 books are brought back. How many books are there now?

28. Mixing Multiplication and Division: There is a group of 10 people who are ordering pizza. If each person gets 2 slices and each pizza has 4 slices, how many pizzas should they order?

29. Mixing Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction: Lana has 2 bags with 2 marbles in each bag. Markus has 2 bags with 3 marbles in each bag. How many more marbles does Markus have?

30. Mixing Division, Addition and Subtraction: Lana has 3 bags with the same amount of marbles in them, totaling 12 marbles. Markus has 3 bags with the same amount of marbles in them, totaling 18 marbles. How many more marbles does Markus have in each bag?

Ordering and number sense word problems

31. Counting to Preview Multiplication: There are 2 chalkboards in your classroom. If each chalkboard needs 2 pieces of chalk, how many pieces do you need in total?

32. Counting to Preview Division: There are 3 chalkboards in your classroom. Each chalkboard has 2 pieces of chalk. This means there are 6 pieces of chalk in total. If you take 1 piece of chalk away from each chalkboard, how many will there be in total?

33. Composing Numbers: What number is 6 tens and 10 ones?

34. Guessing Numbers: I have a 7 in the tens place. I have an even number in the ones place. I am lower than 74. What number am I?

35. Finding the Order: In the hockey game, Mitchell scored more points than William but fewer points than Auston. Who scored the most points? Who scored the fewest points?

Fractions word problems

Best for: 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade

36. Finding Fractions of a Group: Julia went to 10 houses on her street for Halloween. 5 of the houses gave her a chocolate bar. What fraction of houses on Julia’s street gave her a chocolate bar?

37. Finding Unit Fractions: Heather is painting a portrait of her best friend, Lisa. To make it easier, she divides the portrait into 6 equal parts. What fraction represents each part of the portrait?

38. Adding Fractions with Like Denominators: Noah walks ⅓ of a kilometre to school each day. He also walks ⅓ of a kilometre to get home after school. How many kilometres does he walk in total?

39. Subtracting Fractions with Like Denominators: Last week, Whitney counted the number of juice boxes she had for school lunches. She had ⅗ of a case. This week, it’s down to ⅕ of a case. How much of the case did Whitney drink?

40. Adding Whole Numbers and Fractions with Like Denominators: At lunchtime, an ice cream parlor served 6 ¼ scoops of chocolate ice cream, 5 ¾ scoops of vanilla and 2 ¾ scoops of strawberry. How many scoops of ice cream did the parlor serve in total?

41. Subtracting Whole Numbers and Fractions with Like Denominators: For a party, Jaime had 5 ⅓ bottles of cola for her friends to drink. She drank ⅓ of a bottle herself. Her friends drank 3 ⅓. How many bottles of cola does Jaime have left?

42. Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators: Kevin completed ½ of an assignment at school. When he was home that evening, he completed ⅚ of another assignment. How many assignments did Kevin complete?

43. Subtracting Fractions with Unlike Denominators: Packing school lunches for her kids, Patty used ⅞ of a package of ham. She also used ½ of a package of turkey. How much more ham than turkey did Patty use?

44. Multiplying Fractions: During gym class on Wednesday, the students ran for ¼ of a kilometre. On Thursday, they ran ½ as many kilometres as on Wednesday. How many kilometres did the students run on Thursday? Write your answer as a fraction.

45. Dividing Fractions: A clothing manufacturer uses ⅕ of a bottle of colour dye to make one pair of pants. The manufacturer used ⅘ of a bottle yesterday. How many pairs of pants did the manufacturer make?

46. Multiplying Fractions with Whole Numbers: Mark drank ⅚ of a carton of milk this week. Frank drank 7 times more milk than Mark. How many cartons of milk did Frank drink? Write your answer as a fraction, or as a whole or mixed number.

Decimals word problems

Best for: 4th grade, 5th grade

47. Adding Decimals: You have 2.6 grams of yogurt in your bowl and you add another spoonful of 1.3 grams. How much yogurt do you have in total?

48. Subtracting Decimals: Gemma had 25.75 grams of frosting to make a cake. She decided to use only 15.5 grams of the frosting. How much frosting does Gemma have left?

49. Multiplying Decimals with Whole Numbers: Marshall walks a total of 0.9 kilometres to and from school each day. After 4 days, how many kilometres will he have walked?

50. Dividing Decimals by Whole Numbers: To make the Leaning Tower of Pisa from spaghetti, Mrs. Robinson bought 2.5 kilograms of spaghetti. Her students were able to make 10 leaning towers in total. How many kilograms of spaghetti does it take to make 1 leaning tower?

51. Mixing Addition and Subtraction of Decimals: Rocco has 1.5 litres of orange soda and 2.25 litres of grape soda in his fridge. Antonio has 1.15 litres of orange soda and 0.62 litres of grape soda. How much more soda does Rocco have than Angelo?

52. Mixing Multiplication and Division of Decimals: 4 days a week, Laura practices martial arts for 1.5 hours. Considering a week is 7 days, what is her average practice time per day each week?

Comparing and sequencing word problems

Best for: Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade

53. Comparing 1-Digit Integers: You have 3 apples and your friend has 5 apples. Who has more?

54. Comparing 2-Digit Integers: You have 50 candies and your friend has 75 candies. Who has more?

55. Comparing Different Variables: There are 5 basketballs on the playground. There are 7 footballs on the playground. Are there more basketballs or footballs?

56. Sequencing 1-Digit Integers: Erik has 0 stickers. Every day he gets 1 more sticker. How many days until he gets 3 stickers?

57. Skip-Counting by Odd Numbers: Natalie began at 5. She skip-counted by fives. Could she have said the number 20?

58. Skip-Counting by Even Numbers: Natasha began at 0. She skip-counted by eights. Could she have said the number 36?

59. Sequencing 2-Digit Numbers: Each month, Jeremy adds the same number of cards to his baseball card collection. In January, he had 36. 48 in February. 60 in March. How many baseball cards will Jeremy have in April?

Time word problems

66. Converting Hours into Minutes: Jeremy helped his mom for 1 hour. For how many minutes was he helping her?

69. Adding Time: If you wake up at 7:00 a.m. and it takes you 1 hour and 30 minutes to get ready and walk to school, at what time will you get to school?

70. Subtracting Time: If a train departs at 2:00 p.m. and arrives at 4:00 p.m., how long were passengers on the train for?

71. Finding Start and End Times: Rebecca left her dad’s store to go home at twenty to seven in the evening. Forty minutes later, she was home. What time was it when she arrived home?

Money word problems

Best for: 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade

60. Adding Money: Thomas and Matthew are saving up money to buy a video game together. Thomas has saved $30. Matthew has saved $35. How much money have they saved up together in total?

61. Subtracting Money: Thomas has $80 saved up. He uses his money to buy a video game. The video game costs $67. How much money does he have left?

62. Multiplying Money: Tim gets $5 for delivering the paper. How much money will he have after delivering the paper 3 times?

63. Dividing Money: Robert spent $184.59 to buy 3 hockey sticks. If each hockey stick was the same price, how much did 1 cost?

64. Adding Money with Decimals: You went to the store and bought gum for $1.25 and a sucker for $0.50. How much was your total?

65. Subtracting Money with Decimals: You went to the store with $5.50. You bought gum for $1.25, a chocolate bar for $1.15 and a sucker for $0.50. How much money do you have left?

67. Applying Proportional Relationships to Money: Jakob wants to invite 20 friends to his birthday, which will cost his parents $250. If he decides to invite 15 friends instead, how much money will it cost his parents? Assume the relationship is directly proportional.

68. Applying Percentages to Money: Retta put $100.00 in a bank account that gains 20% interest annually. How much interest will be accumulated in 1 year? And if she makes no withdrawals, how much money will be in the account after 1 year?

Physical measurement word problems

Best for: 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade

72. Comparing Measurements: Cassandra’s ruler is 22 centimetres long. April’s ruler is 30 centimetres long. How many centimetres longer is April’s ruler?

73. Contextualizing Measurements: Picture a school bus. Which unit of measurement would best describe the length of the bus? Centimetres, metres or kilometres?

74. Adding Measurements: Micha’s dad wants to try to save money on gas, so he has been tracking how much he uses. Last year, Micha’s dad used 100 litres of gas. This year, her dad used 90 litres of gas. How much gas did he use in total for the two years?

75. Subtracting Measurements: Micha’s dad wants to try to save money on gas, so he has been tracking how much he uses. Over the past two years, Micha’s dad used 200 litres of gas. This year, he used 100 litres of gas. How much gas did he use last year?

76. Multiplying Volume and Mass: Kiera wants to make sure she has strong bones, so she drinks 2 litres of milk every week. After 3 weeks, how many litres of milk will Kiera drink?

77. Dividing Volume and Mass: Lillian is doing some gardening, so she bought 1 kilogram of soil. She wants to spread the soil evenly between her 2 plants. How much will each plant get?

78. Converting Mass: Inger goes to the grocery store and buys 3 squashes that each weigh 500 grams. How many kilograms of squash did Inger buy?

79. Converting Volume: Shad has a lemonade stand and sold 20 cups of lemonade. Each cup was 500 millilitres. How many litres did Shad sell in total?

80. Converting Length: Stacy and Milda are comparing their heights. Stacy is 1.5 meters tall. Milda is 10 centimetres taller than Stacy. What is Milda’s height in centimetres?

81. Understanding Distance and Direction: A bus leaves the school to take students on a field trip. The bus travels 10 kilometres south, 10 kilometres west, another 5 kilometres south and 15 kilometres north. To return to the school, in which direction does the bus have to travel? How many kilometres must it travel in that direction?

Ratios and percentages word problems

Best for: 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade

82. Finding a Missing Number: The ratio of Jenny’s trophies to Meredith’s trophies is 7:4. Jenny has 28 trophies. How many does Meredith have?

83. Finding Missing Numbers: The ratio of Jenny’s trophies to Meredith’s trophies is 7:4. The difference between the numbers is 12. What are the numbers?

84. Comparing Ratios: The school’s junior band has 10 saxophone players and 20 trumpet players. The school’s senior band has 18 saxophone players and 29 trumpet players. Which band has the higher ratio of trumpet to saxophone players?

85. Determining Percentages: Mary surveyed students in her school to find out what their favourite sports were. Out of 1,200 students, 455 said hockey was their favourite sport. What percentage of students said hockey was their favourite sport?

86. Determining Percent of Change: A decade ago, Oakville’s population was 67,624 people. Now, it is 190% larger. What is Oakville’s current population?

87. Determining Percents of Numbers: At the ice skate rental stand, 60% of 120 skates are for boys. If the rest of the skates are for girls, how many are there?

88. Calculating Averages: For 4 weeks, William volunteered as a helper for swimming classes. The first week, he volunteered for 8 hours. He volunteered for 12 hours in the second week, and another 12 hours in the third week. The fourth week, he volunteered for 9 hours. For how many hours did he volunteer per week, on average?

Probability and data relationships word problems

Best for: 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade

89. Understanding the Premise of Probability: John wants to know his class’s favourite TV show, so he surveys all of the boys. Will the sample be representative or biased?

90. Understanding Tangible Probability: The faces on a fair number die are labelled 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. You roll the die 12 times. How many times should you expect to roll a 1?

91. Exploring Complementary Events: The numbers 1 to 50 are in a hat. If the probability of drawing an even number is 25/50, what is the probability of NOT drawing an even number? Express this probability as a fraction.

92. Exploring Experimental Probability: A pizza shop has recently sold 15 pizzas. 5 of those pizzas were pepperoni. Answering with a fraction, what is the experimental probability that he next pizza will be pepperoni?

93. Introducing Data Relationships: Maurita and Felice each take 4 tests. Here are the results of Maurita’s 4 tests: 4, 4, 4, 4. Here are the results for 3 of Felice’s 4 tests: 3, 3, 3. If Maurita’s mean for the 4 tests is 1 point higher than Felice’s, what’s the score of Felice’s 4th test?

94. Introducing Proportional Relationships: Store A is selling 7 pounds of bananas for $7.00. Store B is selling 3 pounds of bananas for $6.00. Which store has the better deal?

95. Writing Equations for Proportional Relationships: Lionel loves soccer, but has trouble motivating himself to practice. So, he incentivizes himself through video games. There is a proportional relationship between the amount of drills Lionel completes, in x , and for how many hours he plays video games, in y . When Lionel completes 10 drills, he plays video games for 30 minutes. Write the equation for the relationship between x and y .

Geometry word problems

Best for: 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade

96. Introducing Perimeter:  The theatre has 4 chairs in a row. There are 5 rows. Using rows as your unit of measurement, what is the perimeter?

97. Introducing Area: The theatre has 4 chairs in a row. There are 5 rows. How many chairs are there in total?

98. Introducing Volume: Aaron wants to know how much candy his container can hold. The container is 20 centimetres tall, 10 centimetres long and 10 centimetres wide. What is the container’s volume?

99. Understanding 2D Shapes: Kevin draws a shape with 4 equal sides. What shape did he draw?

100. Finding the Perimeter of 2D Shapes: Mitchell wrote his homework questions on a piece of square paper. Each side of the paper is 8 centimetres. What is the perimeter?

101. Determining the Area of 2D Shapes: A single trading card is 9 centimetres long by 6 centimetres wide. What is its area?

102. Understanding 3D Shapes: Martha draws a shape that has 6 square faces. What shape did she draw?

103. Determining the Surface Area of 3D Shapes: What is the surface area of a cube that has a width of 2cm, height of 2 cm and length of 2 cm?

104. Determining the Volume of 3D Shapes: Aaron’s candy container is 20 centimetres tall, 10 centimetres long and 10 centimetres wide. Bruce’s container is 25 centimetres tall, 9 centimetres long and 9 centimetres wide. Find the volume of each container. Based on volume, whose container can hold more candy?

105. Identifying Right-Angled Triangles: A triangle has the following side lengths: 3 cm, 4 cm and 5 cm. Is this triangle a right-angled triangle?

106. Identifying Equilateral Triangles: A triangle has the following side lengths: 4 cm, 4 cm and 4 cm. What kind of triangle is it?

107. Identifying Isosceles Triangles: A triangle has the following side lengths: 4 cm, 5 cm and 5 cm. What kind of triangle is it?

108. Identifying Scalene Triangles: A triangle has the following side lengths: 4 cm, 5 cm and 6 cm. What kind of triangle is it?

109. Finding the Perimeter of Triangles: Luigi built a tent in the shape of an equilateral triangle. The perimeter is 21 metres. What is the length of each of the tent’s sides?

110. Determining the Area of Triangles: What is the area of a triangle with a base of 2 units and a height of 3 units?

111. Applying Pythagorean Theorem: A right triangle has one non-hypotenuse side length of 3 inches and the hypotenuse measures 5 inches. What is the length of the other non-hypotenuse side?

112. Finding a Circle’s Diameter: Jasmin bought a new round backpack. Its area is 370 square centimetres. What is the round backpack’s diameter?

113. Finding a Circle's Area: Captain America’s circular shield has a diameter of 76.2 centimetres. What is the area of his shield?

114. Finding a Circle’s Radius: Skylar lives on a farm, where his dad keeps a circular corn maze. The corn maze has a diameter of 2 kilometres. What is the maze’s radius?

Variables word problems

Best for: 6th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade

115. Identifying Independent and Dependent Variables: Victoria is baking muffins for her class. The number of muffins she makes is based on how many classmates she has. For this equation, m is the number of muffins and c is the number of classmates. Which variable is independent and which variable is dependent?

116. Writing Variable Expressions for Addition: Last soccer season, Trish scored g goals. Alexa scored 4 more goals than Trish. Write an expression that shows how many goals Alexa scored.

117. Writing Variable Expressions for Subtraction: Elizabeth eats a healthy, balanced breakfast b times a week. Madison sometimes skips breakfast. In total, Madison eats 3 fewer breakfasts a week than Elizabeth. Write an expression that shows how many times a week Madison eats breakfast.

118. Writing Variable Expressions for Multiplication: Last hockey season, Jack scored g goals. Patrik scored twice as many goals than Jack. Write an expression that shows how many goals Patrik scored.

119. Writing Variable Expressions for Division: Amanda has c chocolate bars. She wants to distribute the chocolate bars evenly among 3 friends. Write an expression that shows how many chocolate bars 1 of her friends will receive.

120. Solving Two-Variable Equations: This equation shows how the amount Lucas earns from his after-school job depends on how many hours he works: e = 12h . The variable h represents how many hours he works. The variable e represents how much money he earns. How much money will Lucas earn after working for 6 hours?

How to easily make your own math word problems & word problems worksheets

Armed with 120 examples to spark ideas, making your own math word problems can engage your students and ensure alignment with lessons. Do:

• Link to Student Interests:  By framing your word problems with student interests, you’ll likely grab attention. For example, if most of your class loves American football, a measurement problem could involve the throwing distance of a famous quarterback.
• Make Questions Topical:  Writing a word problem that reflects current events or issues can engage students by giving them a clear, tangible way to apply their knowledge.
• Include Student Names:  Naming a question’s characters after your students is an easy way make subject matter relatable, helping them work through the problem.
• Be Explicit:  Repeating keywords distills the question, helping students focus on the core problem.
• Test Reading Comprehension:  Flowery word choice and long sentences can hide a question’s key elements. Instead, use concise phrasing and grade-level vocabulary.
• Focus on Similar Interests:  Framing too many questions with related interests -- such as football and basketball -- can alienate or disengage some students.
• Feature Red Herrings:  Including unnecessary information introduces another problem-solving element, overwhelming many elementary students.

A key to differentiated instruction , word problems that students can relate to and contextualize will capture interest more than generic and abstract ones.

Final thoughts about math word problems

You’ll likely get the most out of this resource by using the problems as templates, slightly modifying them by applying the above tips. In doing so, they’ll be more relevant to -- and engaging for -- your students.

Regardless, having 120 curriculum-aligned math word problems at your fingertips should help you deliver skill-building challenges and thought-provoking assessments.

The result?

A greater understanding of how your students process content and demonstrate understanding, informing your ongoing teaching approach.

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1.6: Problem Solving Strategies

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• Page ID 132869

• Michelle Manes
• University of Hawaii

Think back to the first problem in this chapter, the ABC Problem. What did you do to solve it? Even if you did not figure it out completely by yourself, you probably worked towards a solution and figured out some things that did not work.

Unlike exercises, there is never a simple recipe for solving a problem. You can get better and better at solving problems, both by building up your background knowledge and by simply practicing. As you solve more problems (and learn how other people solve them), you learn strategies and techniques that can be useful. But no single strategy works every time.

How to Solve It

George Pólya was a great champion in the field of teaching  effective problem solving skills. He was born in Hungary in 1887, received his Ph.D. at the University of Budapest, and was a professor at Stanford University (among other universities). He wrote many mathematical papers along with three books, most famously, How to Solve it . Pólya died at the age 98 in 1985. [1]

George Pólya, circa 1973

• Image of Pólya by Thane Plambeck from Palo Alto, California (Flickr) [CC BY 2.0 ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 )], via Wikimedia Commons ↵

In 1945, Pólya published the short book How to Solve It , which gave a four-step method for solving mathematical problems:

• First, you have to understand the problem.
• After understanding, then make a plan.
• Carry out the plan.
• Look back on your work. How could it be better?

This is all well and good, but how do you actually do these steps?!?! Steps 1. and 2. are particularly mysterious! How do you “make a plan?” That is where you need some tools in your toolbox, and some experience to draw upon.

Much has been written since 1945 to explain these steps in more detail, but the truth is that they are more art than science. This is where math becomes a creative endeavor (and where it becomes so much fun). We will articulate some useful problem solving strategies, but no such list will ever be complete. This is really just a start to help you on your way. The best way to become a skilled problem solver is to learn the background material well, and then to solve a lot of problems!

We have already seen one problem solving strategy, which we call “Wishful Thinking.” Do not be afraid to change the problem! Ask yourself “what if” questions:

• What if the picture was different?
• What if the numbers were simpler?
• What if I just made up some numbers?

You need to be sure to go back to the original problem at the end, but wishful thinking can be a powerful strategy for getting started.

This brings us to the most important problem solving strategy of all:

A Problem Solving Strategy: Try Something!

If you are really trying to solve a problem, the whole point is that you do not know what to do right out of the starting gate. You need to just try something! Put pencil to paper (or stylus to screen or chalk to board or whatever!) and try something. This is often an important step in understanding the problem; just mess around with it a bit to understand the situation and figure out what is going on.

Note that being "good at mathematics" is not about doing things right the first time. It is about figuring things out. Practice being okay with having done something incorrectly. Try to avoid using an eraser and just lightly cross out incorrect work (do not black out the entire thing). This way if it turns out that you did something useful, you still have that work to reference! If what you tried first does not work, try something else! Play around with the problem until you have a feel for what is going on.

Last week, Alex borrowed money from several of his friends. He finally got paid at work, so he brought cash to school to pay back his debts. First he saw Brianna, and he gave her 1/4 of the money he had brought to school. Then Alex saw Chris and gave him 1/3 of what was left after paying Brianna. Finally, Alex saw David and gave him 1/2 of the remaining money. Who got the most money from Alex?

Think/Pair/Share

After you have worked on the problem on your own for a while, talk through your ideas with a partner if possible (even if you have not solved it). What did you try? What did you figure out about the problem? This problem lends itself to two particular strategies. Did you try either of these as you worked on the problem? If not, read about the strategy and then try it out before watching the solution.

A Problem Solving Strategy: Draw a Picture

Some problems are obviously about a geometric situation, and it is clear you want to draw a picture and mark down all of the given information before you try to solve it. But even for a problem that is not geometric, like this one, thinking visually can help! Can you represent something in the situation by a picture?

Draw a square to represent all of Alex’s money. Then shade 1/4 of the square — that’s what he gave away to Brianna. How can the picture help you finish the problem?

After you have worked on the problem yourself using this strategy (or if you are completely stuck), you can watch someone else’s solution.

A Problem Solving Strategy: Make Up Numbers

Part of what makes this problem difficult is that it is about money, but there are no numbers given. That means the numbers must not be important. So just make them up!

Try this: Assume (that is, pretend) Alex had some specific amount of money when he showed up at school, say $100. Then figure out how much he gives to each person.

Or try working backward: suppose Alex has some specific amount left at the end, say $10. Since he gave David half of what he had before seeing David, that means he had $20 before running into David. Now, work backwards and figure out how much each person got.

Watch the solution only after you tried this strategy for yourself.

If you use the “Make Up Numbers” strategy, it is really important to remember what the original problem was asking! You do not want to answer something like “Everyone got $10.” That is not true in the original problem; that is an artifact of the numbers you made up. So after you work everything out, be sure to re-read the problem and answer what was asked!

(Squares on a Chess Board)

How many squares, of any possible size, are on a 8 × 8 chess board? (The answer is not 64... It’s a lot bigger!)

Remember Pólya’s first step is to understand the problem. If you are not sure what is being asked, or why the answer is not just 64, be sure to ask someone!

Think / Pair / Share

After you have worked on the problem on your own for a while, talk through your ideas with a partner if possible (even if you have not solved it). What did you try? What did you figure out about the problem, even if you have not solved it completely?

Most people want to draw a picture for this problem, but even with the picture it can be hard to know if you have found the correct answer. The numbers get big, and it can be hard to keep track of your work. Your goal at the end is to be absolutely positive that you found the right answer. Instead of asking the teacher, “Is this right?”, you should be ready to justify it and say, “Here’s my answer, and here is how I got it.”

A Problem Solving Strategy: Try a Simpler Problem

Pólya suggested this strategy: “If you can’t solve a problem, then there is an easier problem you can solve: find it.” He also said, “If you cannot solve the proposed problem, try to solve first some related problem. Could you imagine a more accessible related problem?” In this case, an 8 × 8 chess board is pretty big. Can you solve the problem for smaller boards? Like 1 × 1? 2 × 2? 3 × 3?

The ultimate goal is to solve the original problem. But working with smaller boards might give you some insight and help you devise your plan (that is Pólya’s step (2)).

A Problem Solving Strategy: Work Systematically

If you are working on simpler problems, it is useful to keep track of what you have figured out and what changes as the problem gets more complicated.

For example, in this problem you might keep track of how many 1 × 1 squares are on each board, how many 2 × 2 squares on are each board, how many 3 × 3 squares are on each board, and so on. You could keep track of the information in a table:

A Problem Solving Strategy: Use Manipulatives to Help You Investigate

Sometimes even drawing a picture may not be enough to help you investigate a problem. Having actual materials that you move around can sometimes help a lot!

For example, in this problem it can be difficult to keep track of which squares you have already counted. You might want to cut out 1 × 1 squares, 2 × 2 squares, 3 × 3 squares, and so on. You can actually move the smaller squares across the chess board in a systematic way, making sure that you count everything once and do not count anything twice.

A Problem Solving Strategy: Look for and Explain Patterns

Sometimes the numbers in a problem are so big, there is no way you will actually count everything up by hand. For example, if the problem in this section were about a 100 × 100 chess board, you would not want to go through counting all the squares by hand! It would be much more appealing to find a pattern in the smaller boards and then extend that pattern to solve the problem for a 100 × 100 chess board just with a calculation.

If you have not done so already, extend the table above all the way to an 8 × 8 chess board, filling in all the rows and columns. Use your table to find the total number of squares in an 8 × 8 chess board. Then:

• Describe all of the patterns you see in the table. If possible, actually describe these to a friend.
• Explain and justify any of the patterns you see (if possible, actually do this with a friend). If you don't have a partner to work with, imagine they asked you, "How can you be sure the patterns will continue?"
• Expand this to find what calculation(s) you would perform to find the total number of squares on a 100 × 100 chess board.

(We will come back to this question soon. So if you are not sure right now how to explain and justify the patterns you found, that is OK.)

(Broken Clock)

This clock has been broken into three pieces. If you add the numbers in each piece, the sums are consecutive numbers. ( Consecutive numbers are whole numbers that appear one after the other, such as 1, 2, 3, 4 or 13, 14, 15.)

Can you break another clock into a different number of pieces so that the sums are consecutive numbers? Assume that each piece has at least two numbers and that no number is damaged (e.g. 12 isn’t split into two digits 1 and 2).

Remember that your first step is to understand the problem. Work out what is going on here. What are the sums of the numbers on each piece? Are they consecutive?

After you have worked on the problem on your own for a while, talk through your ideas with a partner if possible (even if you have not solved it). What did you try? What progress have you made?

A Problem Solving Strategy: Find the Math, Remove the Context

Sometimes the problem has a lot of details in it that are unimportant, or at least unimportant for getting started. The goal is to find the underlying math problem, then come back to the original question and see if you can solve it using the math.

In this case, worrying about the clock and exactly how the pieces break is less important than worrying about finding consecutive numbers that sum to the correct total. Ask yourself:

• What is the sum of all the numbers on the clock’s face?
• Can I find two consecutive numbers that give the correct sum? Or four consecutive numbers? Or some other amount?
• How do I know when I am done? When should I stop looking?

Of course, solving the question about consecutive numbers is not the same as solving the original problem. You have to go back and see if the clock can actually break apart so that each piece gives you one of those consecutive numbers. Maybe you can solve the math problem, but it does not translate into solving the clock problem.

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• \mathrm{Lauren's\:age\:is\:half\:of\:Joe's\:age.\:Emma\:is\:four\:years\:older\:than\:Joe.\:The\:sum\:of\:Lauren,\:Emma,\:and\:Joe's\:age\:is\:54.\:How\:old\:is\:Joe?}
• \mathrm{Kira\:went\:for\:a\:drive\:in\:her\:new\:car.\:She\:drove\:for\:142.5\:miles\:at\:a\:speed\:of\:57\:mph.\:For\:how\:many\:hours\:did\:she\:drive?}
• \mathrm{The\:sum\:of\:two\:numbers\:is\:249\:.\:Twice\:the\:larger\:number\:plus\:three\:times\:the\:smaller\:number\:is\:591\:.\:Find\:the\:numbers.}
• \mathrm{If\:2\:tacos\:and\:3\:drinks\:cost\:12\:and\:3\:tacos\:and\:2\:drinks\:cost\:13\:how\:much\:does\:a\:taco\:cost?}
• \mathrm{You\:deposit\:3000\:in\:an\:account\:earning\:2\%\:interest\:compounded\:monthly.\:How\:much\:will\:you\:have\:in\:the\:account\:in\:15\:years?}
• How do you solve word problems?
• To solve word problems start by reading the problem carefully and understanding what it's asking. Try underlining or highlighting key information, such as numbers and key words that indicate what operation is needed to perform. Translate the problem into mathematical expressions or equations, and use the information and equations generated to solve for the answer.
• How do you identify word problems in math?
• Word problems in math can be identified by the use of language that describes a situation or scenario. Word problems often use words and phrases which indicate that performing calculations is needed to find a solution. Additionally, word problems will often include specific information such as numbers, measurements, and units that needed to be used to solve the problem.
• Is there a calculator that can solve word problems?
• Symbolab is the best calculator for solving a wide range of word problems, including age problems, distance problems, cost problems, investments problems, number problems, and percent problems.
• What is an age problem?
• An age problem is a type of word problem in math that involves calculating the age of one or more people at a specific point in time. These problems often use phrases such as 'x years ago,' 'in y years,' or 'y years later,' which indicate that the problem is related to time and age.

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• Middle School Math Solutions – Simultaneous Equations Calculator Solving simultaneous equations is one small algebra step further on from simple equations. Symbolab math solutions...

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How do you solve word problems in math?

Master word problems with eight simple steps from a math tutor!

Author Amber Watkins

Published April 2024

• Key takeaways
• Students who struggle with reading, tend to struggle with understanding and solving word problems. So the best way to solve word problems in math is to become a better reader!
• Mastery of word problems relies on your child’s knowledge of keywords for word problems in math and knowing what to do with them.
• There are 8 simple steps each child can use to solve word problems- let’s go over these together.

Table of contents

• How to solve word problems

Lesson credits

As a tutor who has seen countless math worksheets in almost every grade – I’ll tell you this: every child is going to encounter word problems in math. The key to mastery lies in how you solve them! So then, how do you solve word problems in math?

In this guide, I’ll share eight steps to solving word problems in math.

How to solve word problems in math in 8 steps

Step 1: read the word problem aloud.

For a child to understand a word problem, it needs to be read with accuracy and fluency! That is why, when I tutor children with word problems, I always emphasize the importance of reading properly.

Mastering step 1 looks like this:

• Allow your child to read the word problem aloud to you. 
• Don’t let your child skip over or mispronounce any words. 
• If necessary, model how to read the word problem, then allow your child to read it again. Only after the word problem is read accurately, should you move on to step 2.

Step 2: Highlight the keywords in the word problem

The keywords for word problems in math indicate what math action should be taken. Teach your child to highlight or underline the keywords in every word problem. 

Here are some of the most common keywords in math word problems: 

• Subtraction words – less than, minus, take away
• Addition words – more than, altogether, plus, perimeter
• Multiplication words – Each, per person, per item, times, area 
• Division words – divided by, into
• Total words – in all, total, altogether

Let’s practice. Read the following word problem with your child and help them highlight or underline the main keyword, then decide which math action should be taken.

Michael has ten baseball cards. James has four baseball cards less than Michael. How many total baseball cards does James have? 

The words “less than” are the keywords and they tell us to use subtraction .

Step 3: Make math symbols above keywords to decode the word problem

As I help students with word problems, I write math symbols and numbers above the keywords. This helps them to understand what the word problem is asking.

Let’s practice. Observe what I write over the keywords in the following word problem and think about how you would create a math sentence using them:

Step 4: Create a math sentence to represent the word problem

Using the previous example, let’s write a math sentence. Looking at the math symbols and numbers written above the word problem, our math sentence should be: 10 – 5 = 5 ! 

Each time you practice a word problem with your child, highlight keywords and write the math symbols above them. Then have your child create a math sentence to solve. 

Step 5: Draw a picture to help illustrate the word problem

Pictures can be very helpful for problems that are more difficult to understand. They also are extremely helpful when the word problem involves calculating time , comparing fractions , or measurements . 

Step 6: Always show your work

Help your child get into the habit of always showing their work. As a tutor, I’ve found many reasons why having students show their work is helpful:

• By showing their work, they are writing the math steps repeatedly, which aids in memory
• If they make any mistakes they can track where they happened
• Their teacher can assess how much they understand by reviewing their work
• They can participate in class discussions about their work

Step 7: When solving word problems, make sure there is always a word in your answer!

If the word problem asks: How many peaches did Lisa buy? Your child’s answer should be: Lisa bought 10 peaches .

If the word problem asks: How far did Kyle run? Your child’s answer should be: Kyle ran 20 miles .

So how do you solve a word problem in math?

Together we reviewed the eight simple steps to solve word problems. These steps included identifying keywords for word problems in math, drawing pictures, and learning to explain our answers. 

Is your child ready to put these new skills to the test? Check out the best math app for some fun math word problem practice.

Parents, sign up for a DoodleMath subscription and see your child become a math wizard!

Amber Watkins

Amber is an education specialist with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She has over 12 years of experience teaching and tutoring elementary through college level math. "Knowing that my work in math education makes such an impact leaves me with an indescribable feeling of pride and joy!"

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The math problem that took nearly a century to solve: Secret to Ramsey numbers

Mathematicians unlock the secret to ramsey numbers.

We've all been there: staring at a math test with a problem that seems impossible to solve. What if finding the solution to a problem took almost a century? For mathematicians who dabble in Ramsey theory, this is very much the case. In fact, little progress had been made in solving Ramsey problems since the 1930s.

Now, University of California San Diego researchers Jacques Verstraete and Sam Mattheus have found the answer to r(4,t), a longstanding Ramsey problem that has perplexed the math world for decades.

What was Ramsey's problem, anyway?

In mathematical parlance, a graph is a series of points and the lines in between those points. Ramsey theory suggests that if the graph is large enough, you're guaranteed to find some kind of order within it -- either a set of points with no lines between them or a set of points with all possible lines between them (these sets are called "cliques"). This is written as r(s,t) where s are the points with lines and t are the points without lines.

To those of us who don't deal in graph theory, the most well-known Ramsey problem, r(3,3), is sometimes called "the theorem on friends and strangers" and is explained by way of a party: in a group of six people, you will find at least three people who all know each other or three people who all don't know each other. The answer to r(3,3) is six.

"It's a fact of nature, an absolute truth," Verstraete states. "It doesn't matter what the situation is or which six people you pick -- you will find three people who all know each other or three people who all don't know each other. You may be able to find more, but you are guaranteed that there will be at least three in one clique or the other."

What happened after mathematicians found that r(3,3) = 6? Naturally, they wanted to know r(4,4), r(5,5), and r(4,t) where the number of points that are not connected is variable. The solution to r(4,4) is 18 and is proved using a theorem created by Paul Erdös and George Szekeres in the 1930s.

Currently r(5,5) is still unknown.

A good problem fights back

Why is something so simple to state so hard to solve? It turns out to be more complicated than it appears. Let's say you knew the solution to r(5,5) was somewhere between 40-50. If you started with 45 points, there would be more than 10 234 graphs to consider!

"Because these numbers are so notoriously difficult to find, mathematicians look for estimations," Verstraete explained. "This is what Sam and I have achieved in our recent work. How do we find not the exact answer, but the best estimates for what these Ramsey numbers might be?"

Math students learn about Ramsey problems early on, so r(4,t) has been on Verstraete's radar for most of his professional career. In fact, he first saw the problem in print in Erdös on Graphs: His Legacy of Unsolved Problems, written by two UC San Diego professors, Fan Chung and the late Ron Graham. The problem is a conjecture from Erdös, who offered $250 to the first person who could solve it.

"Many people have thought about r(4,t) -- it's been an open problem for over 90 years," Verstraete said. "But it wasn't something that was at the forefront of my research. Everybody knows it's hard and everyone's tried to figure it out, so unless you have a new idea, you're not likely to get anywhere."

Then about four years ago, Verstraete was working on a different Ramsey problem with a mathematician at the University of Illinois-Chicago, Dhruv Mubayi. Together they discovered that pseudorandom graphs could advance the current knowledge on these old problems.

In 1937, Erdös discovered that using random graphs could give good lower bounds on Ramsey problems. What Verstraete and Mubayi discovered was that sampling from pseudo random graphs frequently gives better bounds on Ramsey numbers than random graphs. These bounds -- upper and lower limits on the possible answer -- tightened the range of estimations they could make. In other words, they were getting closer to the truth.

In 2019, to the delight of the math world, Verstraete and Mubayi used pseudorandom graphs to solve r(3,t). However, Verstraete struggled to build a pseudorandom graph that could help solve r(4,t).

He began pulling in different areas of math outside of combinatorics, including finite geometry, algebra and probability. Eventually he joined forces with Mattheus, a postdoctoral scholar in his group whose background was in finite geometry.

"It turned out that the pseudorandom graph we needed could be found in finite geometry," Verstraete stated. "Sam was the perfect person to come along and help build what we needed."

Once they had the pseudorandom graph in place, they still had to puzzle out several pieces of math. It took almost a year, but eventually they realized they had a solution: r(4,t) is close to a cubic function of t . If you want a party where there will always be four people who all know each other or t people who all don't know each other, you will need roughly t 3 people present. There is a small asterisk (actually an o) because, remember, this is an estimate, not an exact answer. But t 3 is very close to the exact answer.

The findings are currently under review with the Annals of Mathematics .

"It really did take us years to solve," Verstraete stated. "And there were many times where we were stuck and wondered if we'd be able to solve it at all. But one should never give up, no matter how long it takes."

Verstraete emphasizes the importance of perseverance -- something he reminds his students of often. "If you find that the problem is hard and you're stuck, that means it's a good problem. Fan Chung said a good problem fights back. You can't expect it just to reveal itself."

Verstraete knows such dogged determination is well-rewarded: "I got a call from Fan saying she owes me $250."

• Mathematics
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• Mathematical Modeling
• Educational Technology
• Computer Modeling
• Distributed Computing
• Quantum computer
• Knot theory
• Massively multiplayer online game
• Supercomputer
• Algebraic geometry
• John von Neumann
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Story Source:

Materials provided by University of California - San Diego . Original written by Michelle Franklin. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Sam Mattheus, Jacques Verstraete. The asymptotics of r(4,t) . Annals of Mathematics , 2024; 199 (2) DOI: 10.4007/annals.2024.199.2.8

Cite This Page :

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From basic algebra to complex calculations, quick ai math problem solver instantly solves your toughest math problems and helps with your homework anytime, anywhere. Solve math problems effortlessly and explore a world of knowledge with Math AI, your all-in-one math companion. Math AI revolutionizes the way you approach mathematics, providing a seamless experience for solving math equations and discovering answers to complex problems. Effortless Math Problem Solving * Instantly solve math equations by simply scanning them with your device's camera. * Math AI employs advanced algorithms to accurately recognize handwritten or printed equations, providing quick and precise solutions. Explore a World of Knowledge * Beyond math, Math AI is your gateway to a wealth of information. Ask any general question, and Math AI will provide you with comprehensive answers sourced from reliable databases. * From history to science, literature to geography, Math AI empowers you with knowledge on a wide range of subjects. Intuitive User Experience * Sleek and intuitive interface makes math problem-solving and information retrieval a breeze. * With Math AI, you'll experience seamless navigation and effortless interaction, making learning and problem-solving enjoyable and efficient. Personalized Learning * Tailored learning experience allows you to track your progress and revisit previous solutions and queries. * Math AI adapts to your preferences, providing personalized recommendations and learning resources to help you master math concepts and broaden your knowledge horizon. Stay Ahead with Math AI * Whether you're a student seeking help with homework, a professional tackling complex equations, or an inquisitive mind hungry for knowledge, Math AI is your indispensable companion. * Stay ahead of the curve and unlock your full potential with Math AI. Download Math AI now and unlock the power of intelligent math assistance and limitless knowledge at your fingertips! Privacy Policy https://sites.google.com/view/appsprivacyypolicy Terms : https://sites.google.com/view/appstermsandconditions/home

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The math problem that took nearly a century to solve

UC San Diego mathematicians unlock the secret to Ramsey numbers

University of California - San Diego

Ramsey problems, such as r(4,5) are simple to state, but as shown in this graph, the possible solutions are nearly endless, making them very difficult to solve. 

Credit: Jacques Verstraete / UC San Diego

We’ve all been there: staring at a math test with a problem that seems impossible to solve. What if finding the solution to a problem took almost a century? For mathematicians who dabble in Ramsey theory, this is very much the case. In fact, little progress had been made in solving Ramsey problems since the 1930s.

Now, University of California San Diego researchers  Jacques Verstraete  and Sam Mattheus have found the answer to r(4,t), a longstanding Ramsey problem that has perplexed the math world for decades.

What was Ramsey’s problem, anyway?

In mathematical parlance, a graph is a series of points and the lines in between those points. Ramsey theory suggests that if the graph is large enough, you’re guaranteed to find some kind of order within it — either a set of points with no lines between them  or  a set of points with all possible lines between them (these sets are called “cliques”). This is written as r(s,t) where  s  are the points with lines and  t  are the points without lines.

To those of us who don’t deal in graph theory, the most well-known Ramsey problem, r(3,3), is sometimes called “the theorem on friends and strangers” and is explained by way of a party: in a group of six people, you will find at least three people who all know each other or three people who all don’t know each other. The answer to r(3,3) is six.

“It’s a fact of nature, an absolute truth,” Verstraete states. “It doesn't matter what the situation is or which six people you pick — you will find three people who all know each other or three people who all don't know each other. You may be able to find more, but you are guaranteed that there will be at least three in one clique or the other.”

What happened after mathematicians found that r(3,3) = 6? Naturally, they wanted to know r(4,4), r(5,5), and r(4,t) where the number of points that are not connected is variable. The solution to r(4,4) is 18 and is proved using a theorem created by Paul Erdös and George Szekeres in the 1930s.

Currently r(5,5) is still unknown.

A good problem fights back

Why is something so simple to state so hard to solve? It turns out to be more complicated than it appears. Let’s say you knew the solution to r(5,5) was somewhere between 40-50. If you started with 45 points, there would be more than 10 234  graphs to consider!

“Because these numbers are so notoriously difficult to find, mathematicians look for estimations,” Verstraete explained. “This is what Sam and I have achieved in our recent work. How do we find not the exact answer, but the best estimates for what these Ramsey numbers might be?”

Math students learn about Ramsey problems early on, so r(4,t) has been on Verstraete’s radar for most of his professional career. In fact, he first saw the problem in print in  Erdös on Graphs: His Legacy of Unsolved Problems,  written by two UC San Diego professors, Fan Chung and the late Ron Graham. The problem is a conjecture from Erdös, who offered $250 to the first person who could solve it.

“Many people have thought about r(4,t) — it’s been an open problem for over 90 years,” Verstraete said. “But it wasn’t something that was at the forefront of my research. Everybody knows it's hard and everyone’s tried to figure it out, so unless you have a new idea, you’re not likely to get anywhere.”

Then about four years ago, Verstraete was working on a different Ramsey problem with a mathematician at the University of Illinois-Chicago, Dhruv Mubayi. Together they discovered that pseudorandom graphs could advance the current knowledge on these old problems.

In 1937, Erdös discovered that using random graphs could give good lower bounds on Ramsey problems. What Verstraete and Mubayi discovered was that sampling from  pseudo random graphs frequently gives better bounds on Ramsey numbers than random graphs. These bounds — upper and lower limits on the possible answer — tightened the range of estimations they could make. In other words, they were getting closer to the truth.

In 2019, to the delight of the math world, Verstraete and Mubayi used pseudorandom graphs to solve r(3,t). However, Verstraete struggled to build a pseudorandom graph that could help solve r(4,t).

He began pulling in different areas of math outside of combinatorics, including finite geometry, algebra and probability. Eventually he joined forces with Mattheus, a postdoctoral scholar in his group whose background was in finite geometry. 

“It turned out that the pseudorandom graph we needed could be found in finite geometry,” Verstraete stated. “Sam was the perfect person to come along and help build what we needed.”

Once they had the pseudorandom graph in place, they still had to puzzle out several pieces of math. It took almost a year, but eventually they realized they had a solution: r(4,t) is close to a cubic function of  t . If you want a party where there will always be four people who all know each other or  t  people who all don’t know each other, you will need roughly t 3  people present. There is a small asterisk (actually an o) because, remember, this is an estimate, not an exact answer. But t 3  is very close to the exact answer.

The findings are currently under review with the  Annals of Mathematics . 

“It really did take us years to solve,” Verstraete stated. “And there were many times where we were stuck and wondered if we’d be able to solve it at all. But one should never give up, no matter how long it takes.”

Verstraete emphasizes the importance of perseverance — something he reminds his students of often. “If you find that the problem is hard and you're stuck, that means it's a good problem. Fan Chung said a good problem fights back. You can't expect it just to reveal itself.”

Verstraete knows such dogged determination is well-rewarded: “I got a call from Fan saying she owes me $250.”

Annals of Mathematics

10.4007/annals.2024.199.2.8

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

The asymptotics of r(4,t)

Article Publication Date

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