Maths Detectives: Solving Story Puzzles with Addition & Subtraction!

Hello Problem Solvers! Get ready to use your amazing addition and subtraction skills to solve “maths stories,” also known as word problems! These are little puzzles where the numbers are part of a story, and you need to figure out whether to add or subtract to find the answer. We’ll be working with numbers up to three digits in these one-step problems. Let’s put on our detective hats!

Your Super Strategy for Solving Word Problems!

Tackling a word problem can be easy if you follow a few simple steps. Think of it like R-U-C-S (like “Rucks”!):

• R – Read: Read the problem carefully. What is the story about?
• U – Understand & Underline: Understand what the question is asking you to find. Underline the important numbers and any keyword clues that tell you whether to add or subtract.
• C – Choose & Calculate: Choose if you need to add (+) or subtract (-). Then, do the calculation using your best maths skills (mental maths, column method, etc.).
• S – Sense Check & State: Does your answer make sense with the story? Write down your answer clearly (sometimes with a word, like “apples” or “points”).

Clue Words: Your Secret Codes for Addition and Subtraction!

Addition Clue Words: When you see words like these, it often means you need to ADD:

• total
• altogether
• sum
• in all
• plus
• combined
• more than (sometimes, if asking for a new total)

Example Addition Word Problem: “A baker made 125 cookies in the morning and 83 cookies in the afternoon. How many cookies did the baker make altogether?”

• Understand: We need to find the total number of cookies. “Altogether” is an addition clue.
• Numbers: 125 and 83.
• Choose & Calculate: 125 + 83 = ? (You might do column addition: 125 + 83 = 208)
• Sense Check & State: The baker made 208 cookies. (Does 208 seem reasonable if you add roughly 120 and 80? Yes!)

Subtraction Clue Words: When you see words like these, it often means you need to SUBTRACT:

• how many left
• difference
• take away
• minus
• fewer than
• less than
• how many more (when comparing two amounts)

Example Subtraction Word Problem: “Sam had 345 stickers. He gave 120 stickers to his friend. How many stickers does Sam have left?”

• Understand: We need to find out how many stickers are remaining. “How many left” is a subtraction clue.
• Numbers: 345 and 120.
• Choose & Calculate: 345 − 120 = ? (You might do column subtraction: 345 − 120 = 225)
• Sense Check & State: Sam has 225 stickers left. (Does 225 seem reasonable if you start with about 350 and take away about 120? Yes!)

Be a Word Problem Whizz! (18 Puzzles to Solve)

Ready to use your R-U-C-S strategy and your clue word knowledge? Here are 18 one-step word problems. Read each one, decide if it’s addition or subtraction, solve it, and check if your answer makes sense!

(Your web app with the 18 questions will go here. The problems should be varied one-step addition or subtraction scenarios with numbers up to three digits.)

Why is Solving Word Problems a Super Skill?

• Maths in the Real World: It shows you how maths is used in everyday situations.
• Boosts Reading Comprehension: You have to read and understand the problem carefully.
• Develops Thinking Skills: You learn to figure out what information is important and what operation to use.
• Makes You a Problem Solver: This is a skill you’ll use not just in maths, but in all parts of life!

Tips for Grown-Ups: Helping Your Word Problem Detective

Solving word problems requires children to integrate reading comprehension with mathematical understanding and calculation skills. One-step problems are a good foundation.

• Encourage the R-U-C-S (or similar) Strategy: Having a systematic approach helps.
• Focus on Understanding, Not Just Keywords: While keywords are helpful, encourage children to understand the context of the problem. Sometimes a keyword might be misleading if not read carefully.
• Act It Out or Draw Pictures: For some children, visualizing the problem by drawing it or using objects can make it much clearer whether to add or subtract.
• Rephrase the Question: Ask them to say what the question is asking in their own words.
• “What are we trying to find out?”: This is a great guiding question.
• Check for Reasonableness: Always encourage them to ask, “Does my answer make sense in the story?”