Mathematics
Grade 6
15 min
Add and subtract whole numbers: word problems
Add and subtract whole numbers: word problems
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify keywords and phrases that indicate addition or subtraction in word problems.
Translate real-world scenarios into mathematical expressions involving addition and subtraction of whole numbers.
Apply a systematic problem-solving strategy to solve word problems.
Accurately perform addition and subtraction of whole numbers within word problem contexts.
Check the reasonableness of their answers to word problems.
Solve multi-step word problems involving both addition and subtraction of whole numbers.
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In this lesson, you'll learn how to tackle word problems that involve adding and subtracting whole n...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Whole NumbersThe set of non-negative integers (0, 1, 2, 3, ...). These are the counting numbers and zero.If you have 5 apples, 5 is a whole number. You can't have -2 apples or 1.5 apples.
Word ProblemA mathematical problem presented in a narrative or story format, requiring you to extract numerical information and operations to find a solution.Sarah had 12 stickers and bought 5 more. How many stickers does she have now?
SumThe result of adding two or more numbers together.The sum of 7 and 3 is 10 ($7 + 3 = 10$). In a word problem, 'total' or 'altogether' often indicates a sum.
DifferenceThe result of subtracting one number from another, indicating how much larger or smaller one number is compared to another.The difference between 15 and 8 is...
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Core Formulas
Identifying Addition in Word Problems
If a word problem asks for a 'total', 'sum', 'altogether', 'in all', 'combined', or 'increased by', it typically requires addition.
When you need to combine quantities or find the grand total of several items, use the addition operation. Represented as $a + b = ext{total}$.
Identifying Subtraction in Word Problems
If a word problem asks for a 'difference', 'how many more/less', 'how many left', 'take away', 'decrease by', or 'remain', it typically requires subtraction.
When you need to find the amount remaining, compare two quantities, or determine a reduction, use the subtraction operation. Represented as $a - b = ex...
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Challenging
A national park has three main trails. The total length of all trails is 50,000 meters. The Eagle Trail is 18,550 meters long. The Bear Trail is 4,200 meters shorter than the Eagle Trail. What is the length of the third trail, the River Trail?
A.14,350 meters
B.32,900 meters
C.17,100 meters
D.31,450 meters
Challenging
A company has 5,000 employees. They plan to hire 750 new employees but also expect 380 employees to retire. Of the new employees, 120 will work in the New York office, and the rest will work in the Chicago office. How many employees will the company have after all the hiring and retirements are complete?
A.5,370
B.4,630
C.6,250
D.5,250
Challenging
An author wrote a trilogy. The first book has 95,250 words. The second book has 112,800 words. The third book has 15,300 fewer words than the second book. What is the total word count for the entire trilogy?
A.208,050
B.97,500
C.305,550
D.223,350
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