Two step word problems

Here we have a page of word problems which require more than one step in order to answer them. Children find this kind of two step word problem question much harder than when there is just one step involved in answering a question.

Often these questions can be done in several different ways. For example, the first question;

‘Jacob had 60 toys and his sister, Emma, had 48 toys. They sold 33 of the toys at a car boot sale. How many do they have left?’

The obvious way to do this is to add 60 and 48, making 108 and then subtracting 33 to leave 75.

However, it is just as valid, and maybe easier, to subtract 33 from 48 which is 15 and then add this on to the 60, to make 75. The actual numbers involved here are easier to deal with.

It is well worth keeping an open mind on how these types of questions should be answered and discuss with your children the best ways of approaching them.

This page can be found in the Year 4 resources under the Using and Applying Maths category.

2 step word problems

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