10 · Word Problems
Turn real-life stories into equations, solve them and check the answer makes sense.
What your child learns
- Define what the letter stands for
- Write an equation from the story
- Solve and check against the story
Example
Three consecutive numbers sum to 45: n + n+1 + n+2 = 45 → n = 14.
Mini lesson: Algebraic Word Problems
Goal: Turn a story into an equation, solve it, and check it makes sense.
- Choose a letter for the unknown (say what it means!).
- Write an equation from the story.
- Solve it.
- Check the answer in the story.
Worked example
Three consecutive numbers add to 45. Find the smallest.
- Let the smallest be n. The others are n + 1 and n + 2.
- n + (n + 1) + (n + 2) = 45
- 3n + 3 = 45 → 3n = 42 → n = 14
- Check: 14 + 15 + 16 = 45 ✔
Common mistakes
- Not defining what the letter means.
- Answering a different question than the one asked.
Practice questions
A taste of the questions in BloomTracks – the app makes fresh ones every time and adjusts the level as your child answers.
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Question 1 · Level 1
Ken thinks of a number and adds 6. The answer is 33. What was the number?
Show the answer
Answer: 27
n + 6 = 33 → n = 27.
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Question 2 · Level 3
Four consecutive whole numbers add up to 126. What is the smallest?
Show the answer
Answer: 30
4n + 6 = 126 → 4n = 120 → n = 30.
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Question 3 · Level 5
Phone plan A costs $37 plus $4 per GB. Plan B costs $13 plus $7 per GB. For how many GB do the plans cost the same?
Show the answer
Answer: 8
24 = 3g → g = 8 GB (both cost $69).
Try it at home
Create story problems from family life: ages, savings, recipes.
Key takeaway
Always say what your letter means before you start.
Practise 10 · word problems with Bloomie
Bloomie reads every question aloud, listens to spoken answers and adapts the difficulty one question at a time.