Mathematics
Grade 4
15 min
Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division word problems
Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division word problems
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify the correct mathematical operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) needed to solve a word problem.
Solve multi-step word problems that require two or more operations.
Translate the words of a problem into a mathematical equation.
Interpret the meaning of a remainder in a division word problem.
Use estimation to check if their answer is reasonable.
Clearly explain the steps they took to arrive at a solution.
If you have 3 boxes of crayons with 24 crayons each, and you give 10 crayons to a friend, how many do you have left? 🤔 Let's become math detectives and solve puzzles like this!
In this lesson, you will learn how to be a math detective! We will learn to read word problems carefully, find clues to decide whether to ad...
2
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Word ProblemA math question that is written as a short story or a real-life situation. It tells you the information you need to solve a problem.'Maria has 5 bags of apples. Each bag has 6 apples. How many apples does she have in total?' is a word problem.
OperationA mathematical action. The four basic operations are addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (×), and division (÷).To find the total number of apples Maria has, you would use the multiplication operation: 5 × 6 = 30.
KeywordA word or phrase in a problem that gives a clue about which operation to use.Words like 'total', 'altogether', and 'in all' often suggest addition. Words like 'how many are left' suggest subtraction. The word 'each' can su...
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Core Formulas
The 4-Step Problem-Solving Plan
1. Understand -> 2. Plan -> 3. Solve -> 4. Check
Use this plan for every word problem. First, read and understand what the question is asking. Second, make a plan by choosing the operation(s). Third, solve the problem by doing the math. Finally, check your work to see if the answer makes sense.
Order of Operations (for Grade 4)
(Multiplication or Division) before (Addition or Subtraction)
In a multi-step problem, always perform any multiplication or division first, working from left to right. After that, perform any addition or subtraction, also working from left to right.
4 more steps in this tutorial
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Challenging
A farmer has 124 apple trees and 78 pear trees on his 10-acre farm. He picks 8 apples from each apple tree. He then packs the apples into bags with 12 apples in each bag. How many full bags of apples can he make?
A.992 bags
B.10 bags
C.82 bags
D.83 bags
Challenging
You have 100 feet of ribbon. You need to cut as many 3-foot pieces as possible for a craft project. After you cut the pieces, you will use the leftover ribbon to make a bow. How long will the piece of ribbon for the bow be?
A.33 feet
B.1 foot
C.3 feet
D.0 feet
Challenging
A pet store has twice as many fish as it has cats. It has 10 fewer cats than it has dogs. If there are 25 dogs, how many animals are there in total at the pet store?
A.70 animals
B.60 animals
C.50 animals
D.80 animals
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