Word problems — Grade 3
A word problem is maths in a sentence. The numbers and the question are there — your job is to decide which operation to use.
The maths itself is the same as in the exercises. The hard part is the language.
A reliable plan
For any word problem, follow these steps:
- Read the whole problem. Don't grab numbers right away.
- Find the question ("what does it ask?").
- Pick numbers and what they mean.
- Decide the operation (add / subtract / multiply / divide).
- Compute.
- Check — does the answer make sense? Include the unit.
Operation keywords
Words don't decide the operation by themselves — but they're a hint:
| Operation | Words to look out for |
| Add | altogether, total, in all, more |
| Subtract | left, fewer, less, take away, difference |
| Multiply | each, per, equal groups, rows of, times |
| Divide | share, equally, each child, per group, how many groups |
What you'll learn
- Add / subtract within 1000 — same as the maths, but in words.
- Multiplication problems — equal groups, arrays, rate.
- Division problems — sharing or grouping.
- Multi-step problems — two operations in a row.
- For parents — how to help.
Try it
- ➕➖ Add/subtract to 1000
- ✖️ Multiplication problems
- ➗ Division problems
- 🔢 Multi-step problems
- ↔️ Compare problems
Summary
- Read first, decide second, compute last.
- Words suggest the operation but don't always force it.
- Always include the unit.