Recognizing Key Words
Solving Word Problems
Addition Key Words
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Add
And
Altogether
Both
In all
Increased
More
Plus
Sum
Total
Subtraction Key Words
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Change (money received)
Decrease
Difference
Left
Lose (or lost)
More…than
Reduce (or reduction)
Subtraction Key Words
• Remain (or remaining)
• Nearer/farther (and other –er
comparison words)
Multiplication Key Words
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Altogether
In all
Of
Multiply
Product
Times
Total
Twice
Whole
Division Key Words
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Average
Cut
Divide (d)
Each
Equal pieces
Every
One
Division Key Words
• Shared (d)
• Single
• Split
Finding Necessary
Information
• The first step in solving a word problem is
understanding what the question asks you
to find.
• The second step is deciding what
information is needed to answer the
question.
What Is Necessary
Information?
Given information includes all of the
numbers and labels that appear in a
problem.
Necessary information includes only
those numbers and labels needed to
answer a specific question.
In each problem, determine
what you are being asked to
find.
What is the total price of a quart of
milk that costs $0.95 and a loaf of
bread that costs $2.09?
Answer: What is the total price of a
quart of milk…and a loaf of bread.
$0.95, $2.09
While shopping on Tuesday, Juanita bought a
dress for $44.95, a skirt for $25, a
picture for $19.75, and a glass bowl for
$14.95. What amount did she spend for
the clothes?
Answer: What amount did she spend for
clothes? $44.95, $25
Brenda has lost 13 pounds on her diet. Her
weight dropped from 167 pounds to 154
pounds. If she still wants to lose 14 more
pounds, how much does Brenda want to
lose in all?
Answer: How much does Brenda want to lose
in all? 13 pounds, 14 pounds
In Canyonville there are 23, 458 registered
voters. Of these, 13,228 are men and
10,230 are women. During the November
election, 4,572 men voted. If 6,385
women also voted, how many people voted
in this election?
Answer: How many people voted in this
election? 4,572;6,385
Practice makes perfect…
At Papa Smurf’s Grocery, Tra bought
hamburger for $3.58, a gallon of milk for
$1.89, and a box of cereal for $2.79. If
he paid the clerk with a twenty-dollar bill,
how much change did he receive?
Solution: change=$20 minus total cost of
groceries.
Crystal, Tra, Kassie, Hallee Berry and
Omarion agreed to split the cost of dinner
evenly. Together they had a pizza for
$12.75, drinks for $4.30, and salads for
$9.45. What was each person’s share of
the bill?
Solution: each share= total cost divided by 5
During a “TV Special” sale, Uptown Music
Company shipped 1,238 boxes of compact
discs. If each box held 13 compact discs,
how many compact discs were shipped in
all?
Solution: total compact discs= total boxes
shipped times compact discs.
Craig drove his car an average of 1,154 miles
each month last year. During the first
three months this year, he has driven 954
miles, 876 miles, and 1,105 miles. What
number of miles has he put on his car so
far this year?
Solution: total miles= Jan. miles + February
miles + March miles
The End