Why are Word Problems so hard? 🔊
Here's how to make Word Problems easier 😊! Coach Edison to the rescue❗
Hey, Coach Edison here 🔀. Welcome again! Today TWO newbies:
1. You get to HEAR MY VOICE with extras on How to make Word Problems easier!
2. And first time I’m giving a PDF - this one shows the steps to make a math Word Problem easier!
Go to Edison’s Math School 🏫 (to see math - math done Edison’s way)❗
Today … how to make WORD PROBLEMS easier❗❗
Just the mention of the words … “Word Problem”
leads to students saying, ‘I don’t know’ ☹ … ‘Math is hard’ 😧 and giving up quicker. And running away 🏃🏽♂️🏃🏽♀️ … but no need to runaway it isn’t a skunk 🦨 or distracting themselves 🧘🏽♀️ ummmmmm. But if you think about it, it’s a W-O-R-D question - just a question with words … so shouldn’t be that hard. Edison to the rescue!
Word problems should actually be the easiest part of math, no? Yes? No? Yes? … What?
Interesting question … and they should be the easiest to do … because if you think about it, they are math questions about real life. How old is ...? How long will it take …?, What’s the length of …. ?, What number ...? It’s the part of math that gets real, gets closer to your life. Real life!
🔊 To understand how to get Word questions,
you first must understand why Word Problems are hard for most students and possibly you too. Quick answer – you don’t understand the steps to get a word question … but that’s too obvious, too general. Let me get more specific.
Students struggle with Word questions for ONE primary reason.
Want to know what it is? ... but it will be so obvious once you hear it, you’ll get a sheepish grin and think, “Why didn’t I think of that?” or Why didn’t I know that?” … “That was sooooo obvious. Okay here goes, here’s the secret why students struggle with word questions … drumroll … they don’t know the meaning of math words! That’s it.
… they don’t know the meaning of math words!
Let me teach this another way that will make it easier.
To be able to figure out Word Problems you must know what the MATH WORDS mean!!!!!!! Know the meaning AND you’ll understand what to do and be a step closer to figuring out that annoying, impossible, intimidating Word Problem - and that’ll be a nice feeling … no, a proud feeling, no an amazing feeling.
And I’ll make this even easier ...
if you’ve read Math by Edison articles you’ll understand that math has three languages, Words, Symbols and Pictures and you need to know all three. Math words are what makes up a Word Problem so in a Word Problem all you’re really doing is CHANGING the math words to symbols or to Pictures – you’re changing between languages.
Or if you love languages, you’re TRANSLATING from Words to Symbols or Words to Pictures, and once you make that change and do that translation, viola, you now have an easier math question that’s only Symbols or a Picture. And easier question equals, “Hey I can do that 😊!”
Other words that are used when turning a math word to a Symbol?
Changing, Translating, Converting, Replacing, Substituting … that’s a lot of ‘ings. Choose the ‘ing’ that inspires you to do your thing, then go searching for Math words to do your ‘ing on. ‘Ing’ the math words! Ing them today!❗ You have my permission.
Next up? Reps*, Repetitions*, Reinforce* – time to practice* what you just read!
Your teacher speaks a math word, BOOM you turn it into a Symbol.
Your teacher writes ✍🏽 a math word on the board, you WRITE ✍🏽 the symbol.
You read a math word on a handout, assignment, in the homework, you CONVERT-ALTER it to a Symbol …
You read a Word Problem ... WHAM BAM! CHANGE the words to Symbols!
So where to start?
Make sure you know meaning of any math words your teacher speaks or writes (and the Summary Sheet is your bff on this). Then next time you’re faced with a Word Problem, just change the math words to symbols … that’s it ... and like magic … POOF, you’ll end up with an easier question, and easy is nice and fun to do.
Email me at,
mathbyedison@gmail.com and I’ll email you a PDF showing how the strategy works - changing-translating-converting a Word Problem to Symbols.
Coach Edison
Insightful strategies for math (and life)❕
by Edison Hopkinson BSc Mech Eng, B. Ed