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.
Now, before jumping into word problem practice questions, let’s discuss one point of confusion students have when translating words into equations: properly balancing the equations.
Warmest regards,
Scott Woodbury-StewartFounder & CEO,
Target Test Prep