To solve a word problem, ask three questions:

• What is given? — All the numbers in the story.
• What is asked? — What you need to find.
• Which operation? — Addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.

Keywords for identifying the operation:

We label the unknown \( ? \) or \( x \) and write an equation. After solving — go back to the question and make sure the answer makes sense.

Example 1: Addition Problem — Books in the Library

Problem: The classroom library has 47 books. The teacher brought 18 new books. How many books are in the library now?

Solution:

1. Given: 47 books were there, 18 books were added.
2. Asked: how many books are there now — this is the unknown.
3. Keyword "more" — addition operation.
4. Equation: \( 47 + 18 = ? \)
5. Calculation: \( 47 + 18 = 65 \).

Answer: There are now 65 books in the library.

Example 2: Subtraction Problem — Candies in a Box

Problem: There were 93 candies in a box. Children at a party ate 38 candies. How many candies are left?

Solution:

1. Given: 93 candies at the start, 38 were eaten.
2. Asked: how many are left — this is the unknown.
3. Keyword "left" — subtraction operation.
4. Equation: \( 93 - 38 = ? \)
5. Calculation: \( 93 - 38 = 55 \).

Answer: 55 candies are left in the box.

Example 3: Multiplication Problem — Eggs in Boxes

Problem: 6 boxes arrived at the store. Each box contains 12 eggs. How many eggs arrived at the store in total?

Solution:

1. Given: 6 boxes, 12 eggs in each box.
2. Asked: total number of eggs — this is the unknown.
3. Keyword "each box" — equal groups — multiplication operation.
4. Equation: \( 6 \times 12 = ? \)
5. Calculation: \( 6 \times 12 = 72 \).

Answer: 72 eggs arrived at the store in total.

Example 4: Two-Step Problem — Greeting Cards

Problem: Dana had 30 greeting cards. She gave 8 cards to friends and then received 15 more as a gift. How many cards does she have now?

Solution:

1. Given: 30 at the start, gave away 8, received 15.
2. Asked: how many does she have now.
3. Step A — after giving: \( 30 - 8 = 22 \).
4. Step B — after receiving: \( 22 + 15 = 37 \).

Answer: Dana now has 37 greeting cards.

Example 5: Division Problem — Sharing Stickers

Problem: A teacher has 56 stickers. She wants to share them equally among 8 students. How many stickers will each student get?

Solution:

1. Given: 56 stickers, 8 students.
2. Asked: how many per student.
3. Keyword "share equally" — division operation.
4. Equation: \( 56 \div 8 = ? \)
5. Calculation: \( 56 \div 8 = 7 \).
6. Check: \( 7 \times 8 = 56 \) — correct!

Answer: Each student will get 7 stickers.

✗ Common mistake: Choosing an operation based on the order the numbers appear in the text, without paying attention to keywords.

✓ The correct way: Stop and ask: what happened in the story? Did things grow or shrink? Are we looking for equal groups? Keywords are the key to the correct operation.

✗ Common mistake: Writing only a number as the answer and forgetting to relate it back to the question (what was asked — books? dollars? children?).

✓ The correct way: Always write a complete answer: "There are 65 books" / "55 candies are left." This also helps you check that the answer makes sense.

✗ Common mistake: In a two-step problem, solving only one step and skipping the second.

✓ The correct way: When there are two operations in the story — you need two calculation steps. Write down each intermediate answer before continuing.

The four solution steps:

• Read — what is given, what is asked.
• Identify — keywords → operation (\( +, -, \times, \div \)).
• Write an equation — plug in numbers and \( ? \) for the unknown.
• Solve and write a complete answer in words.

Quick-reference keywords: "more/together" → \( + \) | "left/fewer" → \( - \) | "each/times" → \( \times \) | "shared equally" → \( \div \).