Word problems up to 10,000

For word problems you first need to read, then understand, and only then compute. A number up to 10,000 you can handle with the column method or in your head — depending on whether it's round. The harder part is knowing when to add and when to subtract.

Three steps for every problem

1. Read the problem slowly — twice if you need to.
2. Find what's being asked. What number should the answer be?
3. Pick the operation. When something is added or together, you add. When remains, how much less or how much more, you subtract.

Example 1: money

Martin saved up over three months. In the first month he saved $1,250,inthesecond$1,800 and in the third $2,450. How much did he save in total?

The question: How much in total? — addition.

Add column-style or step by step:

1,250 + 1,800 = 3,050
3,050 + 2,450 = 5,500

Answer: Martin saved $5,500.

Example 2: distance

From London to Manchester is 410 km. Lucy drove 175 km. How much further does she have to go?

The question: How much further? — subtraction.

410 − 175 = 235

Answer: Lucy has 235 km to go.

Example 3: a multi-step problem

Sometimes you need one calculation, and then a second one.

A school has 1,245 boys and 87 fewer girls than boys. How many children are there in the school in total?

Step 1 — how many girls? 87 fewer than boys — subtract:

1,245 − 87 = 1,158

Step 2 — total? Add boys and girls:

1,245 + 1,158 = 2,403

Answer: The school has 2,403 children in total.

Words that signal the operation

Watch out: "how many more" means subtract the larger minus the smaller, not add. You're asking how big the difference is.

Try it yourself

These exercises generate fresh word problems:

• Multi-step word problems
• Add and subtract up to 10,000
• Find the missing number — when one of the addends is unknown.

For context: intro to this topic, column method.