| If you need help solving word problems you’ve | | | | Addition: Total, sum, increased by, more than, |
| come to the right place. Math has always been a | | | | altogether/together, combined, in all, or plus. |
| fascinating subject to me because of how logical and | | | | Subtraction: Difference, less/fewer than, decreased by, |
| precise it is. It’s similar to learning another language | | | | minus, or less. |
| and, in the case of solving word problems, very much | | | | Multiplication: Multiplied by, times, of, or product. |
| like solving a mystery. If you are going to become | | | | Division: per, a, out of, ratio of, quotient of, or percent. |
| good at solving word problems, you have to be a | | | | Equals: Is, are, was, were, gives, or yields. |
| good investigator and be able to pick up on clues that | | | | Using our basketball court example, we are told that |
| will help you solve the mystery. Working with word | | | | the length of the court is 44 feet more than it is wide. |
| problems requires reading comprehension as well as | | | | There are 2 keywords/clues we can identify in this |
| the ability to solve math equations. With that said, the | | | | statement; "more than" which indicates that addition (+) |
| purpose of this article is to offer help solving word | | | | will be the mathematical operation that will be at work |
| problems and to provide aspiring mathematicians with | | | | here and "is" which can be translated as "equals" or |
| a strategy for solving these problems. | | | | "=". |
| Let's start with the following simple example: | | | | Here is where we must make our translation from |
| The length of an NBA basketball court is 44 feet more | | | | English terms to mathematical terms to come up with |
| than it is wide. Express the length of the court in terms | | | | an equation. We are asked to express the length of |
| of its width. | | | | the court in terms of its width. We need to come up |
| The first step to working with word problems is simple, | | | | with an algebraic equation showing the length "L" |
| but crucial. Read the entire problem…then read it | | | | written in terms of the width "W". |
| again! As basic as this may sound, this is where | | | | Here is the translation: |
| reading comprehension skills come in to play. It is during | | | | L = |
| this crucial time that you must do the following things: | | | | 44 + W |
| 1. Identify the information that you have: | | | | The Length "is" 44 feet "more than" the width. |
| The court is 44 feet longer than it is wide. | | | | So the answer to our word problem is the algebraic |
| 2. Identify the information that you don’t have (and | | | | expression L=W+44. |
| still need): | | | | Now just for kicks and giggles, let’s look at a few |
| The length of the court. | | | | more simple examples of translating from English to |
| 3. Determine what the word problem is asking for: | | | | mathematical equations after identifying keywords. |
| An equation expressing length in terms of width. | | | | Example #1 Write the sum of y and 16 as an algebraic |
| The next step is to begin organizing your clues. Start | | | | expression. |
| by first assigning variable names to pieces of | | | | This can be written as "y + 16" |
| information you have and do not have. The name(s) | | | | Example #2 Write the difference between 2x and y |
| should be clear and meaningful. So we will assign the | | | | as an algebraic expression. |
| length of the basketball court the variable name "L" | | | | This can be written as "2x – y" |
| and the width the variable name "W". | | | | Example #3 Write the ratio of 6 more than 2 times y |
| One thing that has always helped me in understanding | | | | to x as an algebraic expression. |
| concepts is drawing them out on paper. Typically, | | | | This can be written as "(2y + 6) / x" |
| when one can visualize a concept, he or she has an | | | | The key to help solving word problems is developing |
| easier time understanding it, whether it’s | | | | the ability to identify keywords and translate phrases |
| mathematics or anything else. So after you identify the | | | | and sentences into mathematical equations. As with |
| information that you have and assign your unknown | | | | everything else in mathematics, this skill will only be |
| variables, draw a picture. Be sure to label it with known | | | | sharpened after doing lots and lots of these problems. |
| info and unknown variables. | | | | After that, whenever you come across a word |
| The last step is to search the word problem for | | | | problem you will be confident in your ability to tackle it |
| keywords. Some words will tell you what | | | | instead of looking at it and thinking to yourself…."Word |
| mathematical operation is needed or at work in finding | | | | Problems…Ughh!!!" |
| the solution. Listed in the table below are a few of | | | | Happy problem solving!!! Now, go practice! |
| these terms: | | | | |