Best tips for solving word problems

[Kfamily]

My older dd is finishing up her pre-algebra book. We have worked every word problem in this text so far. I let her attempt them on her own first and then we go over the ones that need correction together on the board. She really has trouble knowing how to solves these many times...sigh...and yes we talk about steps in solving problems, tips like drawing pictures, asking what is the problem asking for, etc. etc. and over and over again. She has been working on her math attitude for so long now...I tell her half the battle is in attitude. She lets her mind drift or become over-emotional.(lol..this part is normal).

Does anyone have some good tips for us?

She will be taking big tests soon (SAT, ACT, PSAT etc.) and I really want to help her improve. We will be moving into Algebra soon too.

Thanks!

[MomatHWTK]

Khan Academy has some videos on solving word problems. You might also try Singapore Maths.

[Teachin'Mine]

What did you use for pre-algebra? What grade is she in?

[fractalgal]

She lets her mind drift or become over-emotional.(lol..this part is normal).

Does anyone have some good tips for us?

She will be taking big tests soon (SAT, ACT, PSAT etc.) and I really want to help her improve. We will be moving into Algebra soon too.

Thanks!

 

Some word problems are simply hard, and I think if you are attempting to solve a difficult one together and your daughter becomes overly emotional, then perhaps backing off and trying it later would help. My daughter sometimes gets 'annoyed' when solving challenging word problems, also. She doesn't want to know or understand how anyone else is solving something even if it would help her; she wants to solve it her own way. But regardless, I think approaching a problem after both are calm is much easier than trying to force through it.

 

As for more general tips for solving word problems that have helped us:

Read the problem twice;

State what you know;

Draw pictures;

Pull out and state other implied information based on what you already know or are given;

Translate the English language words to mathematical language;

Approach the problem from different angles;

Think of the bigger idea of what the topic is that you are studying and try to apply it;

Try something and if it is incorrect, learn from it;

Take a break and come back to it;

Try a new approach by logically eliminating other ideas that have failed;

Persevere and persevere.

 

Perhaps you or your daughter would find this article from AOPS useful: Dealing with Hard Problems

 

Good luck. :)

[Julie in MN]

As for more general tips for solving word problems that have helped us:

Read the problem twice;

State what you know;

Draw pictures;

Pull out and state other implied information based on what you already know or are given;

Translate the English language words to mathematical language;

Approach the problem from different angles;

Think of the bigger idea of what the topic is that you are studying and try to apply it;

Try something and if it is incorrect, learn from it;

Take a break and come back to it;

Try a new approach by logically eliminating other ideas that have failed;

Persevere and persevere.

 

I like this. Some things I'd add:

 

1. Singapore's bar diagrams were good training in drawing out the whole and the parts, the pieces you have and the pieces missing. Math Relief did word problems by making a grid, maybe time frames across the top and people across the bottom, etc.

 

Somewhere in there, you need to pick a base, or an "x" -- a starting point -- and let everything else be based on that (2x, 2 + x, etc).

 

2. The other thing Singapore taught is that there is more than one way to solve a problem. I truly run from programs that teach you formulas for these things, even if your dd wants that. There *is* more than one way, and the first way she tries may *not* be the best way, so try something else. It doesn't hurt, really :)

 

3. Try something. As you do it, you may realize why you need to try something different. Sitting there won't give you that information!

 

4. Plug in small numbers, 2's and 3's, and see if your idea works on them.

 

Julie

[LovinHS]

The Life of Fred pre-algebra books are what got my ds going best on word problems. They have you make a table with the rows & columns labeled, then fill in the information you know first. From there you can see how the information relates, so you can figure out how to solve it.

[Kfamily]

Thanks so much!

 

I was typing on a phone and pressed for time....two good reasons not to post....:lol:...so sorry about that...

 

She is an 8th grader who should be a 9th grader (long story...moved many times and most recent move to Okinawa Japan...we lost a lot of time for school and I felt strongly that in math and science especially she needed more time before starting 9th).

 

I should clarify that my main issue is that I want to help her know how to solve a word problem on her own...before I step in and guide her through the thinking process...does that make sense?

 

This is how we usually work in math:

She reads the text lesson to me. I stop her sometimes to clarify something or just have her read it again to stress that point. I often go to the board to show it to her. We solve some example problems together. I require her to participate (another words I don't just throw it up there...I stop often as we move though the problem and ask her what I should do).

I then assign her about 20-25 problems. When she finishes these, I check them and we go over any that she missed. I then assign the rest of the work which includes all of the word problems and most of the review problems. She likes her text and she feels strongly this is the best one for her. (We've tried many others. I have all of Singapore Math as well as Rod and Staff. She has worked through several of the Singapore Math books too.)

I need to work on ways for her to read a word problem and know how to solve it. This is why we have worked every word problem in the text so far. I'm trying to help her get better with this. I do think she has improved. And not every day is as bad as the most recent lesson...she often gets about half of them right on her own. She usually has between 7-9 word problems in each lesson.

Thanks so much for all of you tips and ideas. I will look at Khan Academy. I may look through Singapore and add more word problems and review their method of solving them. I think I will also type the tips for thinking through them and give her a copy.

Thank you. I also want to pick up some SAT, ACT test practice books for her to start working on...I have also considered having her go through the program from Chalkdust...still thinking...

My dh and I also felt strongly that she needed this last bit of effort in really creating a solid math foundation before starting algebra. We will be starting Jacob's Algebra I with dvds and Patty Paper Geometry as soon as we can. I plan to follow the sequence from Kolbe Academy and we will use Jacob's Geometry (assuming we like this) and then Algebra II/Trig (Foerster) and then PreCalculus (Foerster).

Edited May 6, 2012 by Kfamily

[letsplaymath]

Here are three articles from my math blog. You may find them useful:

How to Solve Math Problems

 

 

Algebra: A Problem in Translation

 

 

The Case of the Mysterious Story Problem

 

[Kfamily]

Thank you! These are so helpful!! I will print these out so that I can really put these ideas to use.