Best Strategies to Solve Math Word Problems l Introduction To Math

We Grow People
15 Oct 202103:13
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis educational video script focuses on solving word problems by employing a two-pronged strategy. The first step is to determine if the answer should be larger or smaller than the given parts, guiding the choice between addition/multiplication or subtraction/division. The second step involves identifying key signal words that suggest specific operations: 'all together', 'combined' for addition; 'decrease', 'how many left' for subtraction; 'per', 'each', 'times' for multiplication; and 'half', 'third', 'percent' for division. By understanding these strategies and recognizing these signal words, viewers can effectively tackle and solve word problems, enhancing their practical math skills.

Takeaways
  • 🧮 **Word Problems Strategy**: Use a two-pronged strategy to determine the correct operation for solving word problems.
  • 🔍 **Initial Comparison**: First, assess if the answer is implied to be larger or smaller than the initial parts given to guide your operation choice.
  • ➕➖ **Operation Indication**: If the answer is larger, consider addition or multiplication; if smaller, think subtraction or division.
  • 🔑 **Signal Words**: Look for specific signal words that often indicate certain mathematical operations.
  • 🍕 **Example Scenario**: In the pizza example, 'took' and 'how many are left' suggest using subtraction to find the remaining slices.
  • 📓 **Multiplication Clue**: Words like 'for each' and 'how many total' in the notebook example indicate multiplication as the correct operation.
  • 🔢 **Addition Signals**: Words such as 'all together', 'combined', 'sum', and 'total' are associated with addition.
  • 📉 **Subtraction Signals**: 'Decrease', 'difference', 'how many left', and 'remain' are clues for subtraction.
  • 🎢 **Multiplication Signals**: 'Per', 'each', 'times', and 'twice' are multiplication indicators.
  • ⏏️ **Division Signals**: 'Half', 'third', 'quarter', 'each out of', and 'percent' suggest division.
  • 💡 **Real-life Application**: Understanding these strategies and signal words is crucial for solving word problems and applying math in real-life situations.
Q & A

  • What is the primary focus of the video script?

    -The primary focus is on teaching how to choose the right mathematical operation to solve word problems.

  • What are the two main strategies mentioned for solving word problems?

    -The two main strategies are: determining if the answer is larger or smaller than the initial parts given, and looking for signal words that indicate certain operations.

  • What should you do if a word problem implies the answer is larger than the initial parts given?

    -If the answer is larger, you will likely need to add or multiply.

  • What should you do if a word problem implies the answer is smaller than the initial parts given?

    -If the answer is smaller, you probably need to subtract or divide.

  • What signal words indicate subtraction in word problems?

    -Signal words for subtraction include: decrease, difference, how many left, remain, take away, and how many more.

  • What signal words indicate multiplication in word problems?

    -Signal words for multiplication include: per, each, times, twice, triple, and total.

  • What are some signal words for addition in word problems?

    -Signal words for addition include: altogether, combined, increase, sum, total, and how many more.

  • What signal words should you look for to identify division in word problems?

    -Signal words for division include: half, third, quarter, how many each, out of, percent, and quotient.

  • How can you determine the correct operation in a word problem involving Professor Salmon ordering notebooks?

    -You can determine the correct operation by identifying the signal words 'for each' and 'how many total,' which imply multiplication. Thus, you multiply the number of students by the number of notebooks needed per student.

  • Why is understanding signal words important for solving word problems?

    -Understanding signal words is important because they guide you in choosing the correct mathematical operation, making it easier to solve word problems accurately.

Outlines
00:00
📚 Understanding Word Problems in Math

This paragraph introduces the concept of word problems in mathematics, emphasizing that they require the use of clues within the problem's text to determine the appropriate operation for solving. It outlines a two-pronged strategy: first, to determine if the answer should be larger or smaller than the initial parts, and second, to look for specific signal words that suggest certain operations. The paragraph uses examples to illustrate how to apply these strategies, such as subtracting slices of pizza taken by Susie from the total to find the remaining slices, and multiplying the number of students by the number of notebooks needed per student to find the total number of notebooks required for Professor Salmon.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Word Problems
Word problems are real-life scenarios presented in narrative form that require mathematical solutions. They are a key part of the video's theme, as they are the focus of the strategies being discussed. The script uses word problems to illustrate how to apply mathematical operations in context, such as determining how many pizza slices are left after Susie took two or calculating the total number of notebooks needed for Professor Salmon's students.
💡Operations
In the context of the video, operations refer to mathematical actions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The video's main theme revolves around identifying the correct operation to solve word problems. For example, the script suggests that if a word problem implies an answer larger than the initial parts, operations like addition or multiplication may be needed.
💡Clues
Clues in this video script refer to the words or phrases within a word problem that hint at the mathematical operation required to solve it. They are crucial for understanding how to approach a problem. The script provides examples such as 'took' and 'how many are left' which are clues for subtraction in the pizza slices scenario.
💡Signal Words
Signal words are specific terms that indicate the type of mathematical operation needed to solve a word problem. They are a central concept in the video, guiding viewers on how to recognize operations. The script lists words like 'for each' and 'how many total' as signals for multiplication, and 'decrease' and 'how many left' for subtraction.
💡Addition
Addition is one of the four basic arithmetic operations featured in the video. It is used when combining quantities or summing totals. The script suggests looking for signal words like 'all together' and 'sum' to identify when addition is the appropriate operation, although no direct example from the script is given for addition.
💡Subtraction
Subtraction is the operation of finding the difference between two numbers. The video uses the pizza slices scenario to demonstrate how words like 'took' and 'how many are left' indicate that subtraction is the operation needed to find the remaining number of slices, which in the example is 8 slices.
💡Multiplication
Multiplication is the operation of scaling a number by another, often represented as repeated addition. The video's theme emphasizes using multiplication when dealing with 'per' or 'each' scenarios. The script provides the example of Professor Salmon needing to order two notebooks for each of her 24 students, totaling 48 notebooks.
💡Division
Division is the process of splitting a quantity into equal parts. The video mentions division in the context of looking for signal words like 'half' and 'quarter'. Although the script does not provide a direct example of division, it is implied as an operation to consider when the problem involves splitting or sharing.
💡Strategies
Strategies in the video refer to the methods or approaches one should use to solve word problems. The script outlines a two-pronged strategy: determining if the answer is larger or smaller than the initial parts and looking for signal words. These strategies are essential for selecting the correct mathematical operation.
💡Real-life Situations
Real-life situations are practical scenarios where mathematical concepts are applied. The video's theme highlights the importance of understanding word problems in the context of real-life situations. It suggests that knowing how to solve these problems is crucial for dealing with math in everyday contexts, such as ordering supplies or sharing resources.
💡Success
Success in the video is framed in terms of correctly solving word problems and applying mathematical operations. The script implies that understanding and applying the strategies and recognizing signal words are key to successfully solving any word problem encountered.
Highlights

Introduction to solving word problems using a two-pronged strategy.

Strategy one: Determine if the answer is larger or smaller than the initial parts given.

Strategy two: Look for signal words that suggest specific operations.

Example problem: Susie took two slices from a pizza with 10 slices.

Clue words 'took' and 'how many are left' indicate subtraction.

Subtracting Susie's slices from the total results in 8 slices left.

Another example: Professor Salmon needs notebooks for her 24 students.

Clue words 'for each' and 'how many total' suggest multiplication.

Multiplying 24 students by 2 notebooks equals 48 notebooks needed.

Signal words for addition include 'all together', 'combined', 'increase', 'sum', 'total', and 'how many more'.

Signal words for subtraction are 'decrease', 'difference', 'how many left', 'remain', 'take away', and 'how many more'.

Multiplication signal words: 'per', 'each', 'times', 'twice', 'triple', 'etcetera', and 'total'.

Division signal words: 'half', 'third', 'quarter', 'how many each', 'out of', 'percent', and 'quotient'.

Importance of choosing the right operation in solving word problems.

Understanding signal words and strategies aids in solving real-life math problems.

Conclusion: Knowing these strategies is key to successfully solving any word problem.

Transcripts

Browse More Related Video

Basic Math Review

a very simple algebra question , but 97% FAILED

Math Videos: How To Learn Basic Arithmetic Fast - Online Tutorial Lessons

Terminology for the basic operations and writing algebraic expressions from words

Mental Math Tricks - Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication & Division!

Translating Chemistry Word Problems

Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Thanks for rating:

Related Tags
Math StrategiesWord ProblemsOperation ChoicesEducational TipsMultiplicationAdditionSubtractionDivisionReal-Life MathProblem SolvingSignal Words