Math
Word Problems
•Number and Place Value
•Algebraic thinking
•Number and Operations
•Measure
•Data Analysis
©Susan Powers 2016
A free sample of my inquiry based math, multi step word problems. These are easy
to print and go and can be mixed and matched for simple differentiation. Designed
for my 3rd graders, they cover 3rd and 4th grade CCSS Math standards and are aligned
with IB PYP Phases 3 and 4.
These task cards can be used as centres activities, for mall guided math groups and
as homework review sheets.
You will find word problems that cover the following:
Number and place value
Number and operations
Measure: area and perimeter
Data analysis
As with all problem solving, the critical thinking skills are rehearesed as the children
learn to do multi-step problems.
You can find many more inquiry based products in my stores and on my blog.
[Link]
Enjoy!
Susan Powers
Name: ___________________
Conservation Math Problems
[Link] scientist has 42 turtle eggs. She wants to place 2. If a Galapagos tortoise lives for an average of 180 years.
them in equal rows in an incubator. How many years in total will be accumulated for 8 tortoises of
What is one way that she could place the eggs? Draw a the same age?
diagram to show your thinking. •If only half of those tortoise live to be that old and the other
A. 6 rows of 8 eggs half are half that age, what is the total number of years
between them now?
B. 7 rows of 6 eggs •Show your work below. Explain your thinking.
C. 7 rows of 7 eggs
D. 21 rows of 21 eggs
3.A sea turtle usually lays a clutch of 110 eggs in its nest in one [Link] 1978, sea turtles gained protection under the Endangered
night. If there are 30 turtles laying eggs on the same night, how Species Act. Forty years before that they were almost extinct.
many eggs are laid in total that night? •What year were they counted as almost extinct?
•If seagulls eat a third of those eggs, how many eggs will be left •How many years have they been protected since 1978?
on that same day? If they have increased in numbers by 1000 turtles every 10
•Explain your thinking and show your work below. years since 1000 in 1938, estimate how many turtles you
predict will be around in the next 30 years?
Show your work below and explain your thinking.
All Rights Reserved Susan Powers 2015
Name: ___________________
Conservation Math Problems
5.A sea turtle eats 6 jellyfish every day. 6.
•After, 8 days it is full and doesn’t eat for a few days.
•How many jellyfish did the sea turtle eat in 8 days?
If it takes 2 days of not eating and then continues to eat
the same amount for another 8 days, how many jellyfish
does it eat in 18 days?
•The picture above shows how the jellyfish swim in a pattern.
•Which expression represents the total number of jellyfish in
this formation?
•A. 2 + 4 +2
•B 2 x 3 +2
•C. (2 x 3) x 2
•D 2 +(2 x 3)
7. The number of dolphins rescued from fishing nets over a 3 [Link] a Galapagos tortoise lives for an average of 180
week period are shown below. years. How many years in total will be accumulated
Week Number of dolphins for 8 tortoises of the same age?
rescued. •Show your work below.
•Explain your answer.
1 48
2 76
3 32
What is the closest estimate of the total number of dolphins rescued
in 3 weeks?
A. 140
B. 150
C. 160
All Rights Reserved Susan Powers 2015
Name: ___________________
*Conservation Math Problems*
9. Each small square= 1metre² 10. Choose 2 expressions that would
represent the school of fish. Explain your
answer below.
• A. 2 + 7 x 2
•B (2 x 7) - 2
•C. (2 x 3) + 8
•D (8 x 2) - 2
•The marine scientist wants to tile the shaded part of the pool
with tiles that are 1 square metre. How many tiles will he need to
use to cover the area of the shaded rectangle? Show an equation
to explain how you know.
•A.12
•B 22
•C 54
11. The plan below shows the diagram of the new animal rescue 12. The table below shows the area of 4 oceans and seas. Put
pool. What is the area in square cm, of the figure? Show your the numbers in order from the smallest to the largest.
work below. •Find the difference between the largest ocean and the
smallest. Show your thinking.
Name Area
4cm.
Arctic Ocean 15,558,000km²
8cm.
Mediterranean Sea 2,500 000km²
3cm. Black Sea 436,402 km²
Pacific Ocean 168,723,000km²
5cm.
All Rights Reserved Susan Powers 2015
Conservation Math Problems
Answers
[Link] B 7 x 6 7. Answer C.160
2. 180 x 8= 1440 years total for 8 tortoises. 8. 180 x 8 = 1440 years.
90 x 8 + 90 x 4= 1080 years.
3 .110 x 30 = 3300 eggs in one night. 9. Answer B 22 ( 11 x2 )
If 1/3 eaten then 2200 left. ( 3300-1100)
4. 1938 almost extinct. 10. Answers C and D = 14
5. Since 1938, plus next 30 years,
estimated 11 000 turtles.
5. 6 x8= 48 jellyfish eaten in 8 days. 11. 52cm²
96 jellyfish eaten in 18 days.
6. ANSWER C (2X3) X2 12. smallest= Black, Med., Arctic, Pacific
13. Difference = 168,286,598 km²
All Rights Reserved Susan Powers 2015