Work through a word problem using the understand, plan, carry out, and look back method.
Match key phrases in a word problem to the correct operation.
Identify and discard extraneous information before calculating an answer.
What the lesson concludes
Work the problem in four stages: understand, plan, carry out, then look back and check reasonableness.
Match the wording to an operation: joining suggests addition, comparing a difference suggests subtraction, equal groups suggest multiplication, splitting into portions suggests division.
Not every number in a word problem is needed. Identify the extraneous information before you calculate.
Always label your final answer with the correct unit and ask whether the size of the answer makes sense.