Word problems with 3-digit numbers
A word problem is a tiny story with numbers in it. Your job is to figure out what the story is asking and which calculation answers the question.
A four-step plan
- Read the problem twice — slowly.
- Find the numbers and underline them.
- Decide whether to add or subtract.
- Write the calculation, work it out, write the answer.
Words that hint at adding
When the story is about combining or getting more, you usually add:
- in total / altogether
- both of them / sum
- gained / arrived / brought
- how many in all
Example. The library had 482 books. 156 new books arrived. How many in total?
Plan: combine → add. 482 + 156 = 638.
Words that hint at subtracting
When the story is about removing, comparing or finding what's left, you usually subtract:
- left / remaining
- gave away / sold / lost / used
- how many more (or how many fewer)
- difference
Example. The bakery baked 540 rolls. By lunch, 287 had been sold. How many were left?
Plan: remove → subtract. 540 − 287 = 253.
Watch out — "more than" can be tricky
"How many more X than Y?" is comparison — you subtract the smaller from the larger.
Tom has 234 stickers. Eva has 158. How many more does Tom have?
Plan: difference → subtract. 234 − 158 = 76.
Two-step problems
Some problems hide two steps. Read carefully — a single calculation might not be enough.
Sam had €500. He spent €185 on shoes and €120 on a jacket. How much does he have left?
Step 1: total spent = 185 + 120 = 305.
Step 2: money left = 500 − 305 = 195.
Write the answer in a sentence
After you compute, write a short sentence that answers the question. Don't leave just a bare number — the question asked for something specific (books, rolls, money…).
Try it
- 📖 Word problems to 1,000 — story-style practice
- 🔍 Find the missing number — for problems where the unknown is hidden inside