The document provides a 4-step process for solving word problems: 1) Understand the problem by identifying what is being asked, 2) Get a plan by determining whether to add or subtract based on clue words, 3) Solve the problem by writing a number sentence and calculating, and 4) Look back to check if the answer makes sense. An example word problem is provided about birds Alex saw, and the steps are demonstrated to arrive at the solution that Alex saw 26 birds in all.

1. Solving Word Problems

2. “Word
Problems
scare me!”

3. “Word
Problems
make me
nervous!”

4. “Word
Problems?
I just skip
them!”

5. Don’t Worry!
With just 4
easy steps,
you can
become…
a Word
Problem Whiz!

6. Step 1
UNDERSTAND the problem.
What are you trying to figure
out?
Here’s an example:

7. Yesterday, Alex saw 14 birds in his
backyard. Today, he saw 12. How
many birds did he see in all?
In this problem, what are you trying to
figure out?

8. If you said:
“How many birds did Alex see in
all?” then…
You’re right!

9. Step 2
Get a PLAN.
How will you answer the
question?
Should you ADD or SUBTRACT?

10. Look for clues.
Here are some
CLUE WORDS
that will help
you decide
what to do.

11. Addition Clue
Words
in all
altogether
sum
total

12. Subtraction Clue
Words
how many more
how many are left
difference

13. Let’s look at the
example again.
Yesterday, Alex saw 14 birds in his
backyard. Today, he saw 12. How
many birds did he see in all?
Do you see any CLUE WORDS?

14. If you said…
“in all,” then…
You’re right!

15. The words “in all” tell us that we should
ADD!
Now that we UNDERSTAND the
problem, and have a PLAN, we’re
ready for the next step!

16. Step 3
SOLVE it!
Write a number sentence using
the information in the problem,
and…

17. Work it
out!

18. Give it a try!
Yesterday, Alex saw 14 birds in his
backyard. Today, he saw 12. How
many birds did he see in all?
Write a number sentence and SOLVE it.

19. If you wrote…
14 + 12 = 26 then…
You’re right!

20. Step 4
LOOK BACK.
Does your answer fit the question?

21. We had to find out how many birds
Alex saw in all.
We added the number he saw
yesterday and the number he saw
today.

22. Our answer was “Alex saw 26 birds
in all.”
It makes sense!

23. We did it!
We are Word
Problem
Whizzes!

24. Here are the
steps once more:
Step 1 – UNDERSTAND the
problem.
Step 2 – Get a PLAN.
Step 3 – SOLVE it!
Step 4 – LOOK BACK.