Decoding 1st Grade Math Word Problems

In first grade, children are introduced to math word problems. These problems are simple, but they may end up becoming a challenge for your child. Here are the steps to decode 1st grade math word problems, so they are easy to handle for your first grader.

1. Draw a Picture

One of the reasons 1st grade math word problems are so challenging is the fact that these students are still learning to decode the written word. When they can’t figure out what is being asked, they can’t solve the problem. So, teach your child to draw a picture. The good news is that the numbers in first grade math are still relatively small, so you can easily draw a picture to illustrate most problems.

2. Identify the Question

When solving 1st grade math word problems, you must identify the question. This is rarely hard to do with early word problems. Find the question mark, then see what is being asked.

3. Find the Numbers

Next, the student needs to find the numbers. When these are written in numerical form, it’s fairly easy. When they are written as words, it requires a bit more decoding. Help your child learn to identify and write down the numbers by the word in order to solve the problem.

4. Look for Clue Words

Math word problems always include clue words. These tell the student what to do to solve the problem. Your child needs to know the clue words commonly found in 1st grade math word problems, identify them and determine what to do with them.

Because most 1st grade math word problems are subtraction or addition problems, these are the words your child needs to know:

• Addition: Sum, added to, add, combine, total, in all
• Subtraction: Difference, how many more, how much greater, subtracted from, minus

5. Write the Equation