Word Problems
5 minQuiz at the end
A Strategy for Word Problems
Word problems require you to translate a real-world situation into a mathematical equation.
RUCSAC Method
- Read the problem carefully
- Understand what you need to find
- Choose an operation or method
- Solve the problem
- Answer the question (include units)
- Check your answer makes sense
Key Clue Words
| Operation | Clue words |
|---|---|
| Addition | total, altogether, sum, more than, increased by |
| Subtraction | difference, less, fewer, remain, change |
| Multiplication | times, product, per, each, of, area |
| Division | shared equally, per person, each, quotient, half |
Example: Multi-Step Problem
Sam has 3 times as many marbles as Jo. Together they have 48. How many does Sam have?
Let Jo = x β Sam = 3x x + 3x = 48 4x = 48 x = 12 β Sam = 3 Γ 12 = 36
Example: Percentage Problem
A shirt costs Β£24 after a 20% discount. Original price? Β£24 = 80% of original Original = 24 Γ· 0.8 = Β£30
Example: Speed, Distance, Time
Speed = Distance Γ· Time = 360 Γ· 3 = 120 km/h