Practice Questions: Multi-Step Word Problems

🤔 Understanding Multi-Step Word Problems

Multi-step word problems require you to perform more than one mathematical operation to find the solution. They often involve a combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Let's dive into some examples!

➕ Practice Question 1: The Bakery

A bakery makes 360 cookies in the morning. They sell 2/3 of them before noon. In the afternoon, they bake another 120 cookies. How many cookies does the bakery have at the end of the day?

Solution:

1. Step 1: Calculate the number of cookies sold before noon.
• (2/3) * 360 = 240 cookies
2. Step 2: Calculate the number of cookies remaining after selling.
• 360 - 240 = 120 cookies
3. Step 3: Calculate the total number of cookies at the end of the day.
• 120 + 120 = 240 cookies

Answer: The bakery has 240 cookies at the end of the day.

➗ Practice Question 2: The School Trip

A school is planning a field trip. There are 125 students in total, and each bus can hold 48 students. How many buses are needed? If each bus costs $250, what is the total cost of the buses?

Solution:

1. Step 1: Calculate the number of buses needed.
• 125 / 48 = 2.604
• Since you can't have a fraction of a bus, round up to 3 buses.
2. Step 2: Calculate the total cost of the buses.
• 3 * $250 = $750

Answer: 3 buses are needed, and the total cost is $750.

💰 Practice Question 3: Saving Money

John earns $15 per hour and works 20 hours a week. He saves 1/3 of his earnings each week. How much money does he save in 4 weeks?

Solution:

1. Step 1: Calculate John's weekly earnings.
• $15 * 20 = $300
2. Step 2: Calculate how much he saves each week.
• (1/3) * $300 = $100
3. Step 3: Calculate the total savings in 4 weeks.
• $100 * 4 = $400

Answer: John saves $400 in 4 weeks.

💡 Practice Question 4: The Garden

A gardener plants 2 rows of roses with 15 roses in each row. She also plants 3 rows of tulips with 12 tulips in each row. How many flowers did she plant in total?

Solution:

1. Step 1: Calculate the number of roses.
• 2 * 15 = 30 roses
2. Step 2: Calculate the number of tulips.
• 3 * 12 = 36 tulips
3. Step 3: Calculate the total number of flowers.
• 30 + 36 = 66 flowers

Answer: The gardener planted 66 flowers in total.

📝 Tips for Solving Multi-Step Problems

• Read Carefully: Understand what the problem is asking.
• Identify Steps: Break down the problem into smaller, manageable steps.
• Choose Operations: Determine which mathematical operations are needed.
• Solve Each Step: Perform each operation accurately.
• Check Your Work: Ensure your answer makes sense in the context of the problem.