Math Action Words
If a word problem asks you to find the "total" amount or how many you have "altogether," what math operation should you use?
Addition (or Plus)
A math problem asks how much a normal dog weighs. Option A is 40 pounds. Option B is 4,000 pounds. Which answer is definitely wrong, or "trash"?
Option B (4,000 pounds)
Listen to this problem: "Maria has 10 apples. She eats 2. How many are left?" How would you retell this story without saying any numbers?
Maria had some apples and ate some
3 Read Practice:
Loretta needs dog treats. One option is to get 1 box with 10 treats, or the other option has 3 times as many. How many are in the second option?
Read 1: Loretta needs dog treats
Read 2: 1 box = 10 treats
another box = 3x as many
Read 3: The other box will have _______ dog treats.
If you are stuck on a question for a long time and have no idea what the answer is, what is the best thing to do?
Make your best guess and move on
If a question asks "How many more did he have?" or "What is the difference?", what math operation should you use?
Subtraction (or Minus)
The student has the following equation: 1/2 + 3/4 . Option A says 5/4. Option B says 4/6. Which answer can you cross out as "trash"?
Option A (can't add denominators)
When you see a huge, scary math paragraph, which sentence should you read first to figure out what to do in the question?
The last sentence (the actual question)
True or false: One or two questions will be open response. But I don't have to use the drawing box.
FALSE! You must use the drawing box on MCAP.
True or False: If a question is too hard, you should just leave it blank
False! (You should always make an educated guess, never leave it blank)
If 12 kids are "shared equally" into 3 groups, what math operation do you use?
Division
The problem asks you to add 12 + 15. Option A is 27. Option B is 3. Why is 3 a "trash" answer?
Because when you add, the number has to get bigger, not smaller.
Sarah has 5 dogs. Her brother has 3 cats. How many DOGS do they have together?" What is the trick or "trash" information in this problem?
Her brother has 3 cats
Before you start reading a word problem, what strategy will help give you a clue about what it will be about?
3 Read Strategy
If you start to feel stressed or overwhelmed during the test, what should you do with your body before clicking the next question?
Take a deep breath or stretch in your chair
On the math test, if it asks you to find the "product," what do you need to do?
Multiplication
The question asks, "What is the next term in the pattern if you start with 3 and add 7?" Option A is "3, 7, 14, 21" Why is this a "trash" answer?
Because the student didn't add 7, they skip counted by 7
John buys 3 shirts for $10 each. He pays with a $50 bill. How much change does he get?" What is the hidden first step you must solve?
Finding out how much the shirts cost altogether (3 x 10)
If a word problem didn't have numbers would you still know how to solve it?
You should be able to! What you need to do doesn't change just because you don't have the quantities.
If a word problem is super confusing, how can you break it up so your brain doesn't get too tired?
3 read strategy!
If a problem says "Maria has 3 times as many apples," what math operation should you use?
Multiplication
The question asks for the product of 30 x 20. Option A is "60" Option B is "600" Which answer is "trash" and why?
Option A, because they didn't use both 0's
If you read a word problem and your brain freezes, what is the best thing to draw on your scratch paper to help you
A picture or a model
True of false: when reading a word problem I need to look at the words that the number represents, not just the number.
What is the most important thing to say to yourself when the test gets hard?
"I am smart," "I can do this," or "I will try my best!" (Accept any positive answer!)