Math words for word problems

Word problems for third grade

Math word problems help deepen a student’s understanding of mathematical concepts by relating mathematics to everyday life. 

These worksheets are best attempted after a student has studied the underlying skill; for example, our ‘addition in columns» word problem worksheets should not be attempted until students are comfortable with addition in columns. 

In many of our word problems we intentionally include superfluous data, so that students need to read and think about the questions carefully, rather than simply applying a computation pattern to solve the problems.

Addition word problems for third grade

Simple addition word problems

Column form addition word problems

Mixed add and subtract word problems

Subtraction word problems

Simple subtraction word problems

Subtraction in columns word problems

Multiplication word problems

Simple multiplication word problems

Multiples of 10

Multiplying in columns

More multiplication word problems

Mixed multiply & divide word problems

Division word problems

Simple division word problems

Long division word problems

Fraction word problems

Identifying and comparing fractions word problems

Adding and subtracting fractions word problems

Mixed 3rd grade word problems

The following worksheets contain a mix of grade 3 addition, subtraction, multiplication and division word problems.  Mixing math word problems tests the understanding mathematical concepts, as it forces students to analyze the situation rather than mechanically apply a solution.

Mixed word problems — mental math 

Mixed word problems — column math

Mixed word problems — simpler form  (shorter texts, no superfluous data)

Measurement word problems for grade 3

These word problems combine the 4 operations with real world units of length, time, volume and mass. There is no conversion of units.

Length word problems

Time word problems

Mass & weight word problems

Volume & capacity word problems.

Word problems with variables

These grade 3 word problems introduce students to using variables («x, y, etc.») to represent unknowns. The problems are relatively simple, but emphasize the use of variables and the writing of equations.

Word problems with variables (variable is chosen for the student)

Writing variables to solve word problems (student chooses the variable)

Mathematics is fundamental to encouraging kids’ logical reasoning, problem-solving, and mental rigor. Also, it plays a critical role in helping kids understand other subjects, like science, social studies, and even art and music. Thus, having strong math skills is essential for kids’ academic success.

In this blog, we’ve aimed to help you reinforce your kid’s core math skills and created lists of math word problems for all grade levels. So there is no need to look around for math word problems worksheets – all the useful math word problems and answers are here! Let’s get started!

Math Word Problems for Kindergarten

Kindergarten is the first step of getting kids familiar with mathematical concepts and providing them with a strong foundation in mathematics.

Throughout the kindergarten years, kids need to practice math word problems with kindergarten math games including easy four operations, like addition and subtraction.

Here are beneficial math word problems examples for kindergartners.

1st Grade Math Word Problems

Generally, math word problems for 1st grade are slightly harder than the ones included in the kindergarten curriculum and they might be difficult for kids to grasp if questions are not well written.

Let’s explore all the high-quality 1st grade math word problems that can boost confidence in mathematics and enable kids to enjoy solving mixed operations word problems, time word problems, or subtraction.

2nd Grade Math Word Problems

Kids need to practice their math skills with mixed addition, subtraction, and multiplication word problems as well as money and measurement problems with math word problems 2nd grade.

Let’s dive into the math word problems for 2nd grade!

3rd Grade Math Word Problems

The math word problems for 3rd graders you are about to explore are relatively harder by including variables. Still, they are fun to solve and practice some math concepts.

Now, it is time to dive into 3rd grade math word problems!

4th Grade Math Word Problems

It is essential to learn how to use data and solve problems by understanding the context of 4th grade math word problems for kids.

Here are grade 4 math word problems that will enable kids to practice their math and logical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical thinking skills.

Math Word Problems for 5th Graders

Math word problems for 5th graders are like a milestone in all kids’ math learning experiences. The problems in this grade include various components like four operations, decimals, measurements, fractions, and many more.

Let’s check out the 5th grade math word problems that will challenge their math skills and encourage them to practice even more.

6th Grade Math Word Problems

Now that your kids get into middle school, they need to practice math with equations, inequalities, variables, and much more to solve the problems.

Here are the best 6th grade math word problems that will benefit your kids’ mathematics knowledge.

7th Grade Math Word Problems

During high school, kids need to practice math word problems that help them develop an understanding of how to pull apart a problem and separate it into important sections before solving it.

So let’s see what 7th grade math word problems look like.

Math Word Problems for 8th Graders

Eighth graders need to be able to apply various math concepts simultaneously to solve problems and use their comparison and analysis skills.

The math word problems you are about to explore will be challenging their multiple cognitive skills simultaneously and challenging them to use all math concepts they have learned throughout their academic life.

How to Understand Math Word Problems

As kids advance in school, they might be struggling a bit more to solve math word problems in their grade levels. Actually, solving math word problems is only about seeing the math behind words and using a step-by-step method.

Let’s check out how kids can understand and solve math problems in easy steps:

• Read the problems slowly and carefully.
• Underline the important sections, numbers, data, or phrases.
• Draw tables, pictures, or any kind of visualization that will spark your spatial awareness.
• When you want to solve a math problem, think, “What do I need to find?”
• List the given information or data.
• Find math word problems key words.
• Solve your problems and check for the answers.
• Practice as many math word problems as you can.
• Memorize the multiplication table.

How to Do Math Word Problems

Clearly, solving math word problems is all about putting your cognitive skills to good use. Kids should understand the problem in detail, determine which part of the problem is asking for an actual answer, and use the information they have to get the appropriate answer.

The process of solving math word problems is easier said than done. Therefore, kids need to practice a lot with beneficial resources like math activities and math jokes to improve not only their math skills but also their cognitive skills to achieve solving any kind of word problems they encounter.

This article is for parents who think about how to help with math and support their children. The math word problems below provide a gentle introduction to common math operations for schoolers of different grades.

What are math word problems?

During long-time education, kids face various hurdles that turn into real challenges. Parents shouldn’t leave their youngsters with their problems. They need an adult’s possible help, but what if the parents themselves aren’t good at mathematics? All’s not lost. You can provide your kid with different types of support. Not let a kid burn the midnight oil! Help him/ her to get over the challenges thanks to these captivating math word examples.

Math word problems are short math questions formulated into one or several sentences. They help schoolers to apply their knowledge to real-life scenarios. Besides, this kind of task helps kids to understand this subject better.

Addition for the first and second grades

These math examples are perfect for kids that just stepped into primary school. Here you find six easy math problems with answers:

1. Peter has eight apples. Dennis gives Peter three more. How many apples does Peter have in all?

2. Ann has seven candies. Lack gives her seven candies more. How many candies does Ann have in all?

3. Walter has two books. Matt has nine books. If Matt gives all his books to Walter, how many books will Walter have?

4. There are three crayons on the table. Albert puts five more crayons on the table. How many crayons are on the table?

5. Bill has nine oranges. His friend has one orange. If his friend gives his orange to Bill, how many oranges will Bill have?

6. Jassie has four leaves. Ben has two leaves. Ben gives her all his leaves. How many leaves does Jessie have in all?

Subtraction for the first and second grades

1. There were three books in total at the book shop. A customer bought one book. How many books are left?

2. There are five pizzas in total at the pizza shop. Andy bought one pizza. How many pizzas are left?

3. Liza had eleven stickers. She gave one of her stickers to Sarah. How many stickers does Liza have?

4. Adrianna had ten stones. But then she left two stones. How many stones does Adrianna have?

5. Mary bought a big bag of candy to share with her friends. There were 20 candies in the bag. Mary gave three candies to Marissa. She also gave three candies to Kayla. How many candies were left?

6. Betty had a pack of 25 pencil crayons. She gave five to her friend Theresa. She gave three to her friend Mary. How many pencil crayons does Betty have left?

Multiplication for the 2nd grade and 3rd grade

See the simple multiplication word problems. Make sure that the kid has a concrete understanding of the meaning of multiplication before.

Bill is having his friends over for the game night. He decided to prepare snacks and games.

1. He makes mini sandwiches. If he has five friends coming over and he made three sandwiches for each of them, how many sandwiches did he make?

2. He also decided to get some juice from fresh oranges. If he used two oranges per glass of juice and made six glasses of juice, how many oranges did he use?

3. Then Bill prepared the games for his five friends. If each game takes 7 minutes to prepare and he prepared a total of four games, how many minutes did it take for Bill to prepare all the games?

4. Bill decided to have takeout food as well. If each friend and Bill eat three slices of pizza, how many slices of pizza do they have in total?

Mike is having a party at his house to celebrate his birthday. He invited some friends and family.

1. He and his mother prepared cupcakes for dessert. Each box had 8 cupcakes, and they prepared four boxes. How many cupcakes have they prepared in the total?

2. They also baked some cookies. If they baked 6 pans of cookies, and there were 7 cookies per pan, how many cookies did they bake?

3. Mike planned to serve some cold drinks as well. If they make 7 pitchers of drinks and each pitcher can fill 5 glasses, how many glasses of drinks are they preparing?

4. At the end of the party, Mike wants to give away some souvenirs to his 6 closest friends. If he gives 2 souvenir items for each friend, how many souvenirs does Mike prepare?

Division: best for 3rd and 4th grades

1. If you have 10 books split evenly into 2 bags, how many books are in each bag?

2. You have 40 tickets for the fair. Each ride costs 2 tickets. How many rides can you go on?

3. The school has $20,000 to buy new equipment. If each piece of equipment costs $100, how many pieces can the school buy in total?

4. Melissa has 2 packs of tennis balls for $10 in total. How much does 1 pack of tennis balls cost?

5. Jack has 25 books. He has a bookshelf with 5 shelves on it. If Jack puts the same number of books on each shelf, how many books will be on each shelf?

6. Matt is having a picnic for his family. He has 36 cookies. There are 6 people in his family. If each person gets the same number of cookies, how many cookies will each person get?

Division with remainders for fourth and fifth grades

1. Sarah sold 35 boxes of cookies. How many cases of ten boxes, plus extra boxes does Sarah need to deliver?

2. Candies come in packages of 16. Mat ate 46 candies. How many whole packages of candies did he eat, and how many candies did he leave? 46 candies divided by 16 candies = 2 packages and 2 candies left over.

3. Mary sold 24 boxes of chocolate biscuits. How many cases of ten boxes, plus extra boxes does she need to deliver?

4. Gummy bears come in packages of 25. Suzie and Tom ate 30 gummy bears. How many whole packages did they eat? How many gummy bears did they leave?

5. Darel sold 55 ice-creams. How many cases of ten boxes, plus extra boxes does he need to deliver?

6. Crackers come in packages of 8. Mat ate 20 crackers. How many whole packages of crackers did he eat, and how many crackers did he leave?

Mixed operations for the fifth grade

These math word problems involve four basic operations: addition, multiplication, subtraction, and division. They suit best for the fifth-grade schoolers.

200 planes are taking off from the airport daily. During the Christmas holidays, the airport is busier — 240 planes are taking off every day from the airport.

1. During the Christmas holidays, how many planes take off from the airport in each hour if the airport opens 12 hours daily?

2. Each plane takes 220 passengers. How many passengers depart from the airport every hour during the Christmas holidays? 20 x 220 = 4400.

3. Compared with a normal day, how many more passengers are departing from the airport in a day during the Christmas holidays?

4. During normal days on average 650 passengers are late for their plane daily. During the Christmas holidays, 1300 passengers are late for their plane. That’s why 14 planes couldn’t take off and are delayed. How many more passengers are late for their planes during Christmas week?

5. According to the administration’s study, an additional 5 minutes of delay in the overall operation of the airport is caused for every 27 passengers that are late for their flights. What is the delay in the overall operation if there are 732 passengers late for their flights?

Extra info math problems for the fifth grade

1. Ann has 7 pairs of red socks and 8 pairs of pink socks. Her sister has 12 pairs of white socks. How many pairs of socks does Ann have?

2. Kurt spent 17 minutes doing home tasks. He took a 3-minute snack break. Then he studied for 10 more minutes. How long did Kurt study altogether?

3. There were 15 spelling words on the test. The first schooler spelled 9 words correctly. Miguel spelled 8 words correctly. How many words did Miguel spell incorrectly?

4. In the morning, Jack gave his friend 2 gummies. His friend ate 1 of them. Later Jack gave his friend 7 more gummies. How many gummies did Jack give his friend in all?

5. Peter wants to buy 2 candy bars. They cost 8 cents, and the gum costs 5 cents. How much will Peter pay?

Finding averages for 5th grade

We need to find averages in many situations in everyday life.

1. The dog slept 8 hours on Monday, 10 hours on Tuesday, and 900 minutes on Wednesday. What was the
average number of hours the dog slept per day?

2. Jakarta can get a lot of rain in the rainy season. The rainfall during 6 days was 90 mm, 74 mm, 112 mm, 30 mm, 100 mm, and 44 mm. What was the average daily rainfall during this period?

3. Mary bought 4 books. The prices of the first 3 books were $30, $15, and $18. The average price she paid for the 4 books was $25 per books. How much did she pay for the 4th books?

Ordering and number sense for the 5th grade

1. There are 135 pencils, 200 pens, 167 crayons, and 555 books in the bookshop. How would you write these numbers in ascending order?

2. There are five carrots, one cabbage, eleven eggs, and 15 apples in the fridge. How would you write these numbers in descending order?

3. Peter has completed exercises on pages 279, 256, 264, 259, and 192. How would you write these numbers in ascending order?

4. Mary picked 32 pants, 15 dresses, 26 pairs of socks, 10 purses. Put all these numbers in order.

5. The family bought 12 cans of tuna, 23 potatoes, 11 onions, and 33 pears. Put all these numbers in order.

Fractions for the 6th-8th grades

1. Jannet cooked 12 lemon biscuits for her daughter, Jill. She ate up 4 biscuits. What fraction of lemon biscuits did Jill eat?

2. Guinet travels a distance of 7 miles to reach her school. The bus covers only 5 miles. Then she has to walk 2 miles to reach the school. What fraction of the distance does Guinet travel by bus?

3. Bob has 24 pencils in a box. Eighteen pencils have #2 marked on them, and the 6 are marked #3. What fraction of pencils are marked #3?

4. My mother places 15 tulips in a glass vase. It holds 6 yellow tulips and 9 red tulips. What fraction of tulips are red?

5. Bill owns 14 pairs of socks, of which 7 pairs are white, and the rest are brown. What fraction of pairs of socks are brown?

6. Bred spotted a total of 39 birds in an aviary at the Zoo. He counted 18 macaws and 21 cockatoos. What fraction of macaws did Bred spot at the aviary?

Decimals for the 6th grade

Write in words the following decimals:

• 0,004
• 0,07
• 2,1
• 0,725
• 46,36
• 2000,19

Comparing and sequencing for the 6th grade

1. The older brother picked 42 apples at the orchard. The younger brother picked only 22 apples. How many more apples did the older brother pick?

2. There were 16 oranges in a basket and 66 oranges in a barrel. How many fewer oranges were in the basket than were in the barrel?

3. There were 40 parrots in the flock. Some of them flew away. Then there were 25 parrots in the flock. How many parrots flew away?

4. One hundred fifty is how much greater than fifty-three?

5. On Monday, the temperature was 13°C. The next day, the temperature dropped by 8 degrees. What was the temperature on Tuesday?

6. Zoie picked 15 dandelions. Her sister picked 22 ones. How many more dandelions did her sister pick than Zoie?

Time for the 4th grade

1. The bus was scheduled to arrive at 7:10 p.m. However, it was delayed for 45 minutes. What time was it when the bus arrived?

2. My mother starts her 7-hour work at 9:15 a.m. What time does she get off from work?

3. Jack’s walk started at 6:45 p.m. and ended at 7:25 p.m. How long did his walk last?

4. The school closes at 9:00 p.m. Today, the school’s principal left 15 minutes after the office closed, and his secretary left the office 25 minutes after he left. When did the secretary leave work?

5. Suzie arrives at school at 8:20 a.m. How much time does she need to wait before the school opens? The school opens at 8:35 a.m.

6. The class starts at 9:15 a.m.. The first bell will ring 20 minutes before the class starts. When will the first bell ring?

Money word problems for the fourth grade

1. James had $20. He bought a chocolate bar for $2.30 and a coffee cup for $5.50. How much money did he have left?

2. Coffee mugs cost $1.50 each. How much do 7 coffee mugs cost?

3. The father gives $32 to his four children to share equally. How much will each of his children get?

4. Each donut costs $1.20. How much do 6 donuts cost?

5. Bill and Bob went out for takeout food. They bought 4 hamburgers for $10. Fries cost $2 each. How much does one hamburger with fries cost?

6. A bottle of juice costs $2.80, and a can is $1.50. What would it cost to buy two cans of soft drinks and a bottle of juice?

Measurement word problems for the 6th grade

The task is to convert the given measures to new units. It best suits the sixth-grade schoolers.

• 55 yd = ____ in.
• 43 ft = ____ yd.
• 31 in = ____ ft.
• 29 ft = ____ in.
• 72 in = ____ ft.
• 13 ft = ____ yd.
• 54 lb = ____ t.
• 26 t = ____ lb.
• 77 t = ____ lb.
• 98 lb = ____ t.
• 25 lb = ____ t.
• 30 t = ____ lb.

Ratios and percentages for the 6th-8th grades

It is another area that children can find quite difficult. Let’s look at simple examples of how to find percentages and ratios.

1. A chess club has 25 members, of which 13 are males, and the rest are females. What is the ratio of males to all club members?

2. A group has 8 boys and 24 girls. What is the ratio of girls to all children?

3. A pattern has 4 red triangles for every 12 yellow triangles. What is the ratio of red triangles to all triangles?

4. An English club has 21 members, of which 13 are males, and the rest are females. What is the ratio of females to all club members?

5. Dan drew 1 heart, 1 star, and 26 circles. What is the ratio of circles to hearts?

6. Percentages of whole numbers:

• 50% of 60 = …
• 100% of 70 = …
• 90% of 70 = …
• 20% of 30 = …
• 40% of 10 = …
• 70% of 60 = …
• 100% of 20 = …
• 80% of 90 = …

Probability and data relationships for the 8th grade

1. John ‘s probability of winning the game is 60%. What is the probability of John not winning the game?

2. The probability that it will rain is 70%. What is the probability that it won’t rain?

3. There is a pack of 13 cards with numbers from 1 to 13. What is the probability of picking a number 9 from the pack?

4. A bag had 4 red toy cars, 6 white cars, and 7 blue cars. When a car is picked from this bag, what is the probability of it being red or blue?

5. In a class, 22 students like orange juice, and 18 students like milk. What is the probability that a schooler likes juice?

Geometry for the 7th grade

The following task is to write out equations and find the angles. Complementary angles are two angles that sum up to 90 degrees, and supplementary angles are two angles that sum up to 180 degrees.

1. The complement of a 32° angle = …

2. The supplement of a 10° angle = …

3. The complement of a 12° angle = …

4. The supplement of a 104° angle = …

Variables/ equation word problems for the 5th grades

1. The park is 𝑥 miles away from Jack’s home. Jack had to drive to and from the beach with a total distance of 36 miles. How many miles is Jack’s home away from the park?

2. Larry bought some biscuits which cost $24. He paid $x and got back $6 of change. Find x.

3. Mike played with his children on the beach for 90 minutes. After they played for x minutes, he had to remind them that they would be leaving in 15 minutes. Find x.

4. At 8 a.m., there were x people at the orchard. Later at noon, 27 of the people left the orchard, and there were 30 people left in the orchard. Find x.

Travel time word problems for the 5th-7th grades

1. Tony sprinted 22 miles at 4 miles per hour. How long did Tony sprint?

2. Danny walked 15 miles at 3 miles per hour. How long did Danny walk?

3. Roy sprinted 30 miles at 6 miles per hour. How long did Roy sprint?

4. Harry wandered 5 hours to get Pam’s house. It is 20 miles from his house to hers. How fast did Harry go?

When you tell your students you will be working on word problems, do you hear a chorus of groans? If so, you are not alone! Teaching students how to solve math word problems tends to not be the most exciting math exercise in an elementary math curriculum (especially not learning about word problem key words and how they can be used to solve problems). They also tend to be very challenging for students. No wonder many students don’t like them!

In order for students to become proficient in mathematics, however, they need to apply their math learning to real life situations, which can be achieved through word problems. This experience should not be about following rote procedures and computing correct responses. When solving these types of problems, it is important for students to apply multiple strategies to make sense of the problem and solve it. These experiences should be grounded in strategy application and problem solving, rather than simply computation.

Identifying word problem key words is one of many strategies elementary students can use to help them solve single and multi-step word problems. Additionally, students need access to anchor charts, tools, and manipulatives that will equip them with the resources they need for these problem solving experiences. Using keywords for math word problems is just one piece of the puzzle!

This blog post will answer the following questions:

• What are word problem key words?
• What are some examples of keywords for addition word problems?
• Can you share some examples of keywords for subtraction word problems?
• What are some examples of keywords for multiplication word problems?
• Can you share some examples of keywords for division word problems?
• What are the limitations of using keywords to solve word problems?
• Is using word problem keywords an effective strategy?

What are Word Problem Key Words?

Word problem key words are words or phrases that signal which operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) are needed in order to solve a math word problem.

Using keywords for math word problems (often referred to as clue words and phrases) is a strategy to make sense of and solve word problems. It is the idea of training the brain to look for specific words and phrases to determine what mathematical operations are needed. Here is an example of this strategy in practice:

Erin reads the problem: Pat has 3 red shirts. He has 2 blue shirts. How many red and blue shirts does he have in all? After reading through the problem once, Erin rereads the problem but this time she is looking specifically for the clue words and phrases she has learned. She highlights or underlines the phrase “in all.” She has learned in class that “in all” signals to the reader that they need to add. This strategy has helped her make sense of the problem (which in this case means that the addition operation is needed), set up an equation (3 + 2 = ?), and solve for the answer (5 shirts).

Common Math Word Problem Key Words and Phrases

Below is a list of key words and phrases that students can use to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division word problems. If you teach the younger grades, you’ll find the list of addition and subtraction key words helpful. If you teach the older grades, you’ll find those helpful, as well as the multiplication and division key words.

Addition Key Words

Here are some examples of addition key words:

• add
• altogether
• both
• combine
• in all
• increase
• increased by
• larger
• larger than
• longer
• longer than
• more
• more than
• perimeter
• plus
• sum
• together
• total

Subtraction Key Words

Here are some examples of subtraction key words:

• change
• decreased
• difference
• fewer
• gave away
• How many more…?
• How many less…?
• left
• left over
• less
• less than
• minus
• remain
• shorter than
• smaller than
• take away

Multiplication Key Words

Here are some examples of multiplication key words:

• area
• cubed
• double
• each
• groups
• per
• product
• quadruple
• rows
• squared
• times
• triple

Division Key Words

Here are some examples of division key words:

• average
• divide
• each
• equal group
• fourth
• half
• quarter
• quotient
• ratio
• share
• separate
• split
• third

Limitations of Using Keywords to Solve Word Problems

When students are learning how to solve word problems, it is beneficial for them to be exposed to, directly taught, and given practice with key words (also sometimes written as word problem keywords or keywords for math word problems). However, students need to understand that problems can be solved in many different ways. This is just one tool in their toolkit.  It is not always the most effective strategy to solve a given word problem. For example, students should not be trained to always subtract when they see the word less because they could use a missing addend from addition to solve.  This strategy should be used along with other strategies (e.g. visualization). As students progress through their math education and come across more challenging word problems, this strategy will become less effective. As a result, your students need to be equipped with an abundance of diverse strategies.

Math Resources for 1st-5th Grade Teachers

If you need printable and digital math resources for your classroom, then check out my time and money-saving math collections below!

Free Elementary Math Resources

We would love for you to try these word problem resources with your students. It offers them opportunities to practice applying word problem key words strategies, as well as other problem solving strategies. You can download word problem worksheets specific to your grade level (along with lots of other math freebies) in our free printable math resources bundle using this link: free printable math activities for elementary teachers.

Check out my monthly word problem resources!

• 1st Grade Word Problems
• 2nd Grade Word Problems
• 3rd Grade Word Problems
• 4th Grade Word Problems
• 5th Grade Word Problems

>Addition word problems

>Subtraction word problems

>Multiplication word problems

>Division word problems

>Multi-Step word problems

Welcome to the math word problems worksheets page at Math-Drills.com! On this page, you will find Math word and story problems worksheets with single- and multi-step solutions on a variety of math topics including addition, multiplication, subtraction, division and other math topics. It is usually a good idea to ensure students already have a strategy or two in place to complete the math operations involved in a particular question. For example, students may need a way to figure out what 7 × 8 is or have previously memorized the answer before you give them a word problem that involves finding the answer to 7 × 8.

There are a number of strategies used in solving math word problems; if you don’t have a favorite, try the Math-Drills.com problem-solving strategy:

1. Question: Understand what the question is asking. What operation or operations do you need to use to solve this question? Ask for help to understand the question if you can’t do it on your own.
2. Estimate: Use an estimation strategy, so you can check your answer for reasonableness in the evaluate step. Try underestimating and overestimating, so you know what range the answer is supposed to be in. Be flexible in rounding numbers if it will make your estimate easier.
3. Strategize: Choose a strategy to solve the problem. Will you use mental math, manipulatives, or pencil and paper? Use a strategy that works for you. Save the calculator until the evaluate stage.
4. Calculate: Use your strategy to solve the problem.
5. Evaluate: Compare your answer to your estimate. If you under and overestimated, is the answer in the correct range. If you rounded up or down, does the answer make sense (e.g. is it a little less or a little more than the estimate). Also check with a calculator.

Most Popular Math Word Problems this Week

Various Word Problems

Various word problems for students who have mastered basic arithmetic and need a further challenge.

2nd Grade Math Word Problems

2nd Grade Math Word Problems

Salamander Sports

Beaufort Scale — Wind

Salamander Facts Math Problems

Fastest Insects

Age of Animals

Dinosaur Length

Fish Speed — fastest fish

Temperatures Around the World

Looking for some easier word problems?

Looking for some harder word problems?

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Math-Salamanders.com

About 25% of your total SAT Math section will be word problems, meaning you will have to create your own visuals and equations to solve for your answers. Though the actual math topics can vary, SAT word problems share a few commonalities, and we’re here to walk you through how to best solve them.

This post will be your complete guide to SAT Math word problems. We’ll cover how to translate word problems into equations and diagrams, the different types of math word problems you’ll see on the test, and how to go about solving your word problems on test day.

Feature Image: Antonio Litterio/Wikimedia

What Are SAT Math Word Problems?

A word problem is any math problem based mostly or entirely on a written description. You will not be provided with an equation, diagram, or graph on a word problem and must instead use your reading skills to translate the words of the question into a workable math problem. Once you do this, you can then solve it.

You will be given word problems on the SAT Math section for a variety of reasons. For one, word problems test your reading comprehension and your ability to visualize information.

Secondly, these types of questions allow test makers to ask questions that’d be impossible to ask with just a diagram or an equation. For instance, if a math question asks you to fit as many small objects into a larger one as is possible, it’d be difficult to demonstrate and ask this with only a diagram.

Translating Math Word Problems Into Equations or Drawings

In order to translate your SAT word problems into actionable math equations you can solve, you’ll need to understand and know how to utilize some key math terms. Whenever you see these words, you can translate them into the proper mathematical action.

For instance, the word «sum» means the value when two or more items are added together. So if you need to find the sum of a and b, you’ll need to set up your equation like this: a+b.

Also, note that many mathematical actions have more than one term attached, which can be used interchangeably.

Here is a chart with all the key terms and symbols you should know for SAT Math word problems:

Key Terms	Mathematical Action
Sum, increased by, added to, more than, total of	+
Difference, decreased by, less than, subtracted from	−
Product, times, __ times as much, __ times as many (a number, e.g., “three times as many”)	* or x
Divided by, per, __ as many, __ as much (a fraction, e.g., “one-third as much”)	/ or ÷
Equals, is, are, equivalent	=
Is less than	<
Is greater than	>
Is less than or equal to	≤
Is greater than or equal to	≥

Now, let’s look at these math terms in action using a few official examples:

Though the hardest SAT word problems might look like Latin to you right now, practice and study will soon have you translating them into workable questions.

Typical SAT Word Problems

Word problems on the SAT can be grouped into three major categories:

• Word problems for which you must simply set up an equation
• Word problems for which you must solve for a specific value
• Word problems for which you must define the meaning of a value or variable

Below, we look at each world problem type and give you examples.

Word Problem Type 1: Setting Up an Equation

This is a fairly uncommon type of SAT word problem, but you’ll generally see it at least once on the Math section. You’ll also most likely see it first on the section.

For these problems, you must use the information you’re given and then set up the equation. No need to solve for the missing variable—this is as far as you need to go.

Almost always, you’ll see this type of question in the first four questions on the SAT Math section, meaning that the College Board consider these questions easy. This is due to the fact that you only have to provide the setup and not the execution.

Word Problem Type 2: Solving for a Missing Value

The vast majority of SAT Math word problem questions will fall into this category. For these questions, you must both set up your equation and solve for a specific piece of information.

Most (though not all) word problem questions of this type will be scenarios or stories covering all sorts of SAT Math topics, such as averages, single-variable equations, and ratios. You almost always must have a solid understanding of the math topic in question in order to solve the word problem on the topic.

You might also get a geometry problem as a word problem, which might or might not be set up with a scenario, too. Geometry questions will be presented as word problems typically because the test makers felt the problem would be too easy to solve had you been given a diagram, or because the problem would be impossible to show with a diagram. (Note that geometry makes up a very small percentage of SAT Math.)

Word Problem Type 3: Explaining the Meaning of a Variable or Value

This type of problem will show up at least once. It asks you to define part of an equation provided by the word problem—generally the meaning of a specific variable or number.

To help juggle all the various SAT word problems, let’s look at the math strategies and tips at our disposal.

SAT Math Strategies for Word Problems

Though you’ll see word problems on the SAT Math section on a variety of math topics, there are still a few techniques you can apply to solve word problems as a whole.

#1: Draw It Out

Whether your problem is a geometry problem or an algebra problem, sometimes making a quick sketch of the scene can help you understand what exactly you’re working with. For instance, let’s look at how a picture can help you solve a word problem about a circle (specifically, a pizza):

As for geometry problems, remember that you might get a geometry word problem written as a word problem. In this case, make your own drawing of the scene. Even a rough sketch can help you visualize the math problem and keep all your information in order.

#2: Memorize Key Terms

If you’re not used to translating English words and descriptions into mathematical equations, then SAT word problems might be difficult to wrap your head around at first. Look at the chart we gave you above so you can learn how to translate keywords into their math equivalents. This way, you can understand exactly what a problem is asking you to find and how you’re supposed to find it.

There are free SAT Math questions available online, so memorize your terms and then practice on realistic SAT word problems to make sure you’ve got your definitions down and can apply them to the actual test.

#3: Underline and/or Write Out Important Information

The key to solving a word problem is to bring together all the key pieces of given information and put them in the right places. Make sure you write out all these givens on the diagram you’ve drawn (if the problem calls for a diagram) so that all your moving pieces are in order.

One of the best ways to keep all your pieces straight is to underline your key information in the problem, and then write them out yourself before you set up your equation. So take a moment to perform this step before you zero in on solving the question.

#4: Pay Close Attention to What’s Being Asked

It can be infuriating to find yourself solving for the wrong variable or writing in your given values in the wrong places. And yet this is entirely too easy to do when working with math word problems.

Make sure you pay strict attention to exactly what you’re meant to be solving for and exactly what pieces of information go where. Are you looking for the area or the perimeter? The value of x, 2x, or y?

It’s always better to double-check what you’re supposed to find before you start than to realize two minutes down the line that you have to begin solving the problem all over again.

#5: Brush Up on Any Specific Math Topic You Feel Weak In

You’re likely to see both a diagram/equation problem and a word problem for almost every SAT Math topic on the test. This is why there are so many different types of word problems and why you’ll need to know the ins and outs of every SAT Math topic in order to be able to solve a word problem about it.

For example, if you don’t know how to find an average given a set of numbers, you certainly won’t know how to solve a word problem that deals with averages!

Understand that solving an SAT Math word problem is a two-step process: it requires you to both understand how word problems work and to understand the math topic in question. If you have any areas of mathematical weakness, now’s a good time to brush up on them—or else SAT word problems might be trickier than you were expecting!

All set? Let’s go!

Test Your SAT Math Word Problem Knowledge

Finally, it’s time to test your word problem know-how against real SAT Math problems:

Word Problems

Answers: C, B, A, 1160

Answer Explanations

Aaaaaaaaaaand time for a nap.

Key Takeaways: Making Sense of SAT Math Word Problems

Word problems make up a significant portion of the SAT Math section, so it’s a good idea to understand how they work and how to translate the words on the page into a proper expression or equation. But this is still only half the battle.

Though you won’t know how to solve a word problem if you don’t know what a product is or how to draw a right triangle, you also won’t know how to solve a word problem about ratios if you don’t know how ratios work.

Therefore, be sure to learn not only how to approach math word problems as a whole, but also how to narrow your focus on any SAT Math topics you need help with. You can find links to all of our SAT Math topic guides here to help you in your studies.

What’s Next?

Want to brush up on SAT Math topics? Check out our individual math guides to get an overview of each and every topic on SAT Math. From polygons and slopes to probabilities and sequences, we’ve got you covered!

Running out of time on the SAT Math section? We have the know-how to help you beat the clock and maximize your score.

Been procrastinating on your SAT studying? Learn how you can overcome your desire to procrastinate and make a well-balanced prep plan.

Trying to get a perfect SAT score? Take a look at our guide to getting a perfect 800 on SAT Math, written by a perfect scorer.

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