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Multi-Step Word Problems Guide

The document provides guidance on solving multi-step word problems. It emphasizes clarifying what is known and what needs to be found to solve the question asked. Several example problems are worked through step-by-step to model the process. Students then practice solving multi-step word problems independently by identifying relevant information, calculating intermediate steps, and determining if the final answer is reasonable.

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Mickey Wong
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118 views3 pages

Multi-Step Word Problems Guide

The document provides guidance on solving multi-step word problems. It emphasizes clarifying what is known and what needs to be found to solve the question asked. Several example problems are worked through step-by-step to model the process. Students then practice solving multi-step word problems independently by identifying relevant information, calculating intermediate steps, and determining if the final answer is reasonable.

Uploaded by

Mickey Wong
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Reteach: Multi-Step Word Problems

In multi-step word problems, one or more problems have to be solved in order to get the
information needed to solve the question being asked.
The danger with this type of problem is thinking that you have reached your answer after solving
only the first part of the problem, and stopping too soon.
Before rushing to solve the problem, it is worth your time to slow down and clarify your
understanding. Be sure you know what is being asked, what you already know from the problem,
and what you need to know in order to solve the question being asked.

Reteach: Guided Practice

Let's look at a simple multi-step problem:

Cindy had 18 pieces of candy. She ate six pieces in the morning, and
four more pieces in the afternoon. How many pieces of candy does
she have left?

Start by clarifying what you understand, and what you are being asked to solve.

18 pieces is the total amount of candy.


Six pieces is the amount she eats in the morning.
Four pieces is the amount she eats in the afternoon.
“How many pieces of candy does she have left?” is the question being asked.

Start by adding together 6 + 4 to find the total candies eaten: 10.


Don’t be fooled into stopping there. The question being asked is “how many are left?” not “how
many are eaten?”. Take the final step of subtracting the total eaten, 10, from the total candies,
18. Since 18 – 10 = 8, Cindy has 8 pieces left.
Independent Practice: Multi-Step Word Problems

Solve each problem below. Clarify what you know, and what you need to know to solve the question being
asked. Solve the first step to get the rest of the information you need. Use that information to solve the
second step that gives you the final answer. Check and make sure your answer is reasonable.

Jerry had a box of 64 crayons. He lost eight of them, and his little sister broke three of
them. How many crayons does Jerry have left?
Step One:

Step Two:

Jerry has crayons left. Since the problem tells two ways that Jerry lost some
crayons, he should have less crayons than he started out with. Is your answer
reasonable?

Samantha and Krystal have twenty minutes to walk to school together. It takes them six
minutes to get to the corner where the library is. It takes them another seven minutes to
get to the fire station. How much longer do they have to get to school without being late?
Step One:
Step Two:

They have minutes left. Since the problem tells two amounts of time that the girls
use up while walking, the amount they have left should be less than the amount of time
they started with. Is your answer reasonable?

Robert wants to practice goal kicks for soccer. He decides to have 12 kicks before going
home from the park. He takes 5 kicks before taking a break to get a drink of water. He
then takes another 4 kicks. How many more kicks does he need to make before he goes
home?
Step One:
Step Two:

He still needs to take kicks. Since the problem tells two amounts of kicks that he
has already made, the amount of kicks he has left should be less than the amount of
kicks he needed to take in the beginning. Is your answer reasonable?
Independent Practice: Multi-Step Word Problems

Solve each problem below. Clarify what you know, and what you need to know to solve the question being
asked. Solve the first step to get the rest of the information you need. Use that information to solve the
second step that gives you the final answer. Check and make sure your answer is reasonable.

Ashleigh runs 2 miles on Monday and three times that many on Tuesday. If she wants to
run a total of 20 miles this week, how many more miles does she need to run?
Step One: Step Two:

Step Three:
She needs to run more miles. Since the problem tells two amounts of miles that
she has already run, the amount she has left to run should be less than the number of
miles she set as her goal for the week. Is your answer reasonable?

Dawn has 21 candies that she wants to make into parcels of 3. She wants to give these
parcels to 5 of her friends. How many parcels will she have left over?
Step One:
Step Three:

She will have parcels left over. Since she is dividing the total number of candies,
the number of groups or parcels should be less than the total. Also, the number of
parcels left over should be less than the total number of parcels. Is your answer
reasonable?

John earned $12 on Saturday but he only managed to earn half that amount on Sunday.
He earned $26 the previous weekend. How much more does he need to earn to give him
the $60 he needs to buy a new hockey stick?
Step One: Step Two:

Step Three:
He needs $ more. Since the problem tells of three amounts of money that he has
already earned, the amount still required should be less than the total amount required.
Is your answer reasonable?

Common questions

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Practicing multi-step word problems enhances mathematical skills by developing critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to synthesize information. It forces students to identify relevant pieces of data, logically order the steps needed to reach a solution, and apply different mathematical operations in a cohesive manner. This holistic approach builds deeper understanding and flexibility in mathematical reasoning .

Calculating leftovers after grouping is important because it reflects the efficiency of resource distribution. In Dawn's case, dividing 21 candies into parcels of 3 for 5 friends involves determining both the number of complete parcels and any leftover. This demonstrates division with remainder handling, providing insight into resource management when quantities don't divide evenly .

Understanding what is being asked is crucial in multi-step word problems because it's easy to mistakenly conclude the problem after solving an intermediate step. The key is to clarify what you already know, what the question asks, and what information you still need to solve the problem. This prevents overlooking necessary steps, ensuring you reach the correct final answer .

Solving Samantha and Krystal's problem involves cognitive processes such as time estimation, sequential reasoning, and extrapolation. They need to add the time taken to reach the library and the fire station (6 + 7 minutes), then subtract this sum from the total time (20 minutes) they have, fostering skills in real-time calculation and planning to avoid tardiness. It requires abstract thinking to anticipate potential delays and strategize effectively .

In Ashleigh's running goal problem, intermediate results such as the number of miles run each day serve as benchmarks to track progress towards her weekly goal. By calculating that she runs 2 miles on Monday and three times that (6 miles) on Tuesday, she can use these totals to subtract from her 20-mile target. These results are crucial for planning the remainder of her runs, ensuring she adjusts her daily runs to maintain pace and reach her goal .

To solve Robert's goal kick problem, begin by adding the number of kicks he has already taken: 5 kicks before the break and 4 kicks after, totaling 9 kicks. Then, subtract this total from the 12 kicks he initially planned: 12 - 9 = 3. He needs to take 3 more kicks before going home .

Assuming completion after establishing one part of a multi-step solution can be misleading because intermediate steps often don't address the primary question being asked. These problems require sequential processing where each part builds upon the previous, leading to a comprehensive solution. Stopping mid-sequence results in an incomplete answer that doesn't resolve the actual problem but merely advances partway .

To determine how many crayons Jerry has left, one must apply subtraction sequentially, first subtracting lost crayons (8) and then broken crayons (3) from the original total (64). This requires reasoning skills to decompose the problem, identify the quantities affected, and perform operations considering the logical flow of loss over multiple steps .

Solving John's earnings problem requires analyzing his total earnings from different days, which involves summing amounts earned on Saturday and the previous weekend, then halving Sunday's earnings. The final step is subtracting this sum from his spending goal for a hockey stick. This process mirrors real-life budgeting, illustrating the necessity of accurately tracking and calculating income to meet financial goals .

Including error-checking steps in multi-step word problems encourages reflective thinking and self-assessment, teaching students to verify and validate their solutions. This practice fosters a deep understanding of logical sequences, prevents careless mistakes, and cultivates a mindset of precision and accuracy, which are essential skills in both academic and real-world contexts .

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