Word problems — for parents
Word problems are where maths meets language. The arithmetic is usually easy; the reading is the hard part.
Why this matters
Word problems train:
- Reading comprehension — what is the situation?
- Choosing an operation — which arithmetic fits?
- Translating — story → numbers and back.
- Sense-checking — does the answer fit the question?
These are lifelong skills, not just maths skills.
Most common mistakes
1. Grabbing numbers without reading.The child sees two numbers and adds them. Before they read what's asked.
Fix: always read aloud. Then ask: "what is the question asking?" 2. Keyword guessing."left" → subtract. But "Maria's left foot" doesn't mean subtract. The keyword shortcut isn't always right.
Fix: draw the situation. Stick figures, simple boxes — anything that shows the story. 3. Stops after step 1 in multi-step problems.Computes the first step and writes that as the answer.
Fix: always come back to the question. Underline it. Then check: "did I answer it?" 4. Forgets the unit."Answer = 28." Should be "28 crayons".
Fix: every answer must include what was counted. 5. Confused by "more / fewer"."Anna has 5 more than Peter." → "Peter has fewer". Some kids miss the direction.
Fix: always say it both ways. "Anna has 5 more than Peter, so Peter has 5 fewer than Anna."Activities at home
- Daily-life problems. "We have 24 carrots. We need 4 in each lunch box. How many lunches can we make?"
- Recipe maths. "1 cookie has 6 raisins. We made 18 cookies. Raisins?"
- Shopping receipts. Pick 2–3 items, ask "altogether?" or "change from £20?"
- Stories with twists. "I had 12 sweets, gave half to my brother, then bought 5 more. How many now?" Practice multi-step.
When to ask for help
Talk to the teacher if your child:
- can do the arithmetic but freezes when it's in a sentence,
- always picks the wrong operation,
- can't read the problem at all (then it's a reading issue, not a maths one).
Most children find their footing in 6–10 weeks of regular exposure.
Summary for the parent
- Word problems = reading + arithmetic.
- Read first, decide second, compute last.
- Watch for "stops after step 1" in multi-step problems.
- Insist on units in the answer.