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Lesson 14: Word Problems Involving Addition
In this lesson you'll learn how to identity word problems that require addition, and you'll learn how to solve them.
Don't forget to watch the embedded video clip for this lesson at the bottom of the page. Please be sure to read the embedded video information and disclaimer.
Here is a typical word problem that requires addition: Britney has 7 spears of asparagus, and Paris has 5 stalks of broccoli. What is the total number vegetable pieces that the two ladies have together?
Here you can see that I've highlighted the word "total," but this will not be done for you on a test. To solve a word problem, first read the problem carefully to look for words that tell you what mathematical operation to do. When we see the word "total," and no other special keywords, we know that we'll be adding, since "total" means to group things together. The answer to the problem above is 12. You just add the vegetables.
Always look carefully to see if there are any other keywords in the problem. If there are, it's possible that you will have to first do some other operation, such as multiplication, and then figure out the total number of items that you have. These problems sometimes have a multiple choice answer that tries to trick you if you weren't careful to find all of the keywords in the problem, and if you just assumed that you were adding.
In the problem above, there was no other keyword but "total," so we knew to just add. Sometime a word problem will involve pictures. For example, a problem may show four bags of marbles, with each bag labeled to show many marbles are in it. You might have to add several large numbers such as 352, 138, and 294. For something like this, just convert the problem into a regular addition problem with the numbers lined up on top of each other, and solve it like you learned how to do in the other lessons on addition.
When we add, the answer that you get is called the sum. If a word problem ever asks you find the sum of a group of numbers, they are just testing to see if you know that you are supposed to add. Certainly if a problem says that there are a number of items plus another number of items, it means that you should add them.
Sometimes there is no obvious keyword that tells you to add. For example, a problem might read: Joey has 4 apples and Mary has 3 apples. How many apples are there combined? In this case the keyword is "combined." We know that we have to add, since we're combining the number of apples between the two children. Always read a word problem carefully, determine what operation you are being asked to do, and then convert the problem into standard notation.
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