Use Key Information to Solve Word Problems

In this activity, we'll be using addition and subtraction skills in order to solve word problems.

It is useful to read each question at least twice to understand what the question is asking us to do.

Sometimes key information is highlighted to help us!

 

Let's have a look at an example:

 

A concert hall has  74,320 seats.

On Saturday 27,215 girls and 23,302 boys went to a music concert.

The rest of the seats were taken by adults.

How many seats were taken by adults?

 

 

Answer:

Let's look at what we know:

 

There were  74,320 seats.

27,215 + 23,302  seats were taken.

74,320  minus the seats taken were taken by adults.

 

Now, let's do the maths to find the answer:

27,215 + 23,302 =  50,517 (total number of seats taken)

74,320 - 50,517  = 23,803

23,803 seats were taken by adults.

 

 

Now it's your turn to have a go at some questions.

 

Top Tips:

Read the question at least twice so you know what it's asking you to do.

Look for highlighted information - it's usually important.

Check your answer makes sense!

You can do the inverse (opposite) operation to check your calculations are correct.

Lay out calculations carefully so that each digit is in the correct column - It's very easy to make mistakes when adding and subtracting large numbers.

 

Good luck!