TUTORIALS › MATHEMATICS

Word Problems

MATHSInteractive
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PROBLEM

Pens cost 40p each. Sam buys 3 pens.

Introduction

Two steps, not one

Here's a word problem. Read it and think about what the answer might be. When you're ready, press the button.

MATHS

About the Word Problems lesson

Many marks in 11+ Maths are lost on word problems, not because the arithmetic is hard, but because the child stops one step early and answers a different question. This lesson shows how to read the whole question and check what is actually being asked.

The habits it teaches: read the last sentence first, decide which numbers are needed and which are distractions, and check that the answer matches the question. Your child taps numbers and sentences to see what job each one does.

Worked example

Question: Apples cost 35p each. Lucy buys 4 apples and pays with a £2 coin. How much change does she get?

Answer: First find the cost: 4 × 35p = 140p. Then find the change: £2 is 200p, and 200p − 140p = 60p. A common mistake is to stop at 140p, which is the cost, not the change.

Who it suits

This lesson suits children aged 8 to 11 who get the sums right but the answers wrong, and those who rush the last step under time pressure.

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