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Tips for MATH Success

UNDERLINE KEY WORDS IN THE DIRECTIONS

Start by underlining key words. They will provide clues to help you choose your strategies, and they will give you directions about what to do.

KEY WORDS PROVIDE CLUES to HELP YOU CHOOSE OPERATIONS

AdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision

+

• sum

• added to

• all together

• how many

• in all

• total

-

• difference

• decreased by

• how many more

• how many less

• how much change

• reduced by

• increased by

X

*

• product

• multiplied by

• times

• total

• each (when used with the words all together or total)

• integers positioned next to each other, such as 5y or 6(7)

   

/

÷

• quotient

• divided by

• how many equal parts

• out of

• each

• per

• percent (divide by 100)

• ratio of

• fraction

• 1/2  = 1 ÷ 2

WORK THE PROBLEM DOING THE MATH WORK 3-STEP!
Now that you understand the directions, do the "Math Work 3-Step!":
                                 1)Do the work,    2)Show the work,    3)Check the work!

1. DO THE WORK.
   Using your key words, decide on your strategy to do the work. Here are some ideas.

   • draw a picture

   • work backwards

   • make a table

   • look for a pattern

   • guess and check

   • write a number sentence

   • do multiple steps

   • use logical reasoning

   Organize your work and write neatly. Use lined paper or graph paper to help organize the problems on your page. Don't crowd your work! Allow plenty of space as you work the problem so it is easy to read. Then be sure to leave plenty of space between problems.
    

2. SHOW THE WORK!
   Make sure you show all the steps when solving a problem. Showing your work provides breadcrumbs (remember Hansel and Gretel?). Showing your work allows you to go back and check your work and locate any possible mistakes more easily. Sometimes partial credit is given for the correct parts of your answer. More...

 

TIP: Show the number model or equation!

For word problems, make sure you show the number model or equation you are using to solve the problem!

Example 1

When asked to solve a word problem, write your number model first to show how you will solve it.

5 boys have 4 baseball cards each. How many do they have in all?

       Number model:     5 x 4 = 20

Example 2

When asked for a measurement, begin by writing the formula as the number model you will use to solve it.

What is the area of a rectangular floor that is 5 yards x 4 yards?

       Number model:        A = b x h

                                     A = 5 x 4

                                     A = 20 sq. yards

 

3. CHECK THE WORK!
   Is your answer reasonable? Go back and check your work, starting with the directions! Check your key words. Did you look for the key word "clues" that help you know how to solve the problem? Check that you wrote down the correct numbers when you did your computations. Check that you added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided correctly (no silly mistakes!). Estimate what the answer should have been close to, and make sure your answer makes sense. Last check that you labeled your answers.

FIGURING MEASUREMENTS in 5th Grade Level Math

PROBLEMEQUATION

Perimeter of a Polygon

sum of the sides

Circumference of a Circle

C =  πd

Area of a Rectangle

A = b h

Area of a Parallelogram

A = b h

Area of a Triangle

A = 1/2 b h

Volume of a Prism

V = B h

V = (Area of the base) x height

Surface Area of a Prism

sum of the areas of all the faces

FIGURING MEASUREMENTS in 6th Grade Level Math

PROBLEMEQUATION

Perimeter of a Polygon

sum of the sides

Perimeter of Rectangle

P = 2 b + 2 h

Perimeter of Square

P = 4s

Circumference of a Circle

C =  πd

Area of a Rectangle

A = b h

Area of a Parallelogram

A = b h

Area of a Triangle

A = 1/2 b h

Area of a Circle

A = π r ²

Volume of a Prism

V = B h

V = (Area of the base) x height

Volume of a Cylinder

V = B h

V = (Area of the base) x height

Surface Area of a Prism

sum of the areas of all faces

Surface Area of a Cylinder

SA = ( 2 x r ² ) + ( ( 2 x r ) x h )