When Dealing With Word Problems, Translation Is the Name of the Game
Word problems are not just about solving equations; they are also about translating words into equations! So, let’s discuss some phrases and words to look out for and how to translate them.
“Is” translates to equals (=)
Daphne is the same age as Paul
Daphne’s age = Paul’s age
“More” translates to addition (+)
Francesca has 6 more marbles than Pablo
Francesca = Pablo + 6
“Less/fewer” translates to subtraction (-)
Samantha has 3 fewer coins than Cindy
Samantha = Cindy – 3
“Times as many” translates to multiplication (✖)
Harold has 5 times as many newspapers as Carl
Harold = Carl ✖ 5
Keep in mind while we have listed some common translations above, there are others. These just happen to be the most common.
Warmest regards,
Scott Woodbury-StewartFounder & CEO,
Target Test Prep