2nd Grade One- and Two-Step Word Problems Lesson (Free PDF)
This word problems lesson for 2nd Grade covers one- and two-step word problems (Common Core 2.OA.A.1), with a free PDF to print.
A word problem is a short story that asks a math question. To solve one within 100, decide whether things are joined, removed, put together, taken apart, or compared. Then draw a bar model, write an addition or subtraction sentence, and solve. Two-step problems use the answer from the first step in the second step.
Grade 2 · Common Core State Standards: 2.OA.A.1
Key facts in this word problems lesson
- Five story types: add to, take from, put together, take apart, and compare.
- A bar model shows the parts and the whole so you can see which number is missing.
- More than and fewer than mean comparing: subtract the smaller number from the larger.
- A two-step problem needs two math sentences; the first answer feeds the second.
- A ? or a letter can stand for the unknown number in an equation.
What is a word problem?
A word problem is a short story with numbers in it. The story ends with a question. Your job is to figure out what is happening and then add or subtract.
Priya has 34 red beads and 25 blue beads. How many beads does she have in all? Draw the two parts side by side and the whole above them.
The whole is the sum: \(34 + 25 = 59\). Priya has 59 beads.
What kinds of stories can you solve?
Most stories fit one of five types. Name the type and the math gets easier.
| Type | What happens | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Add to | Something joins the group | \(45 + 20 = 65\) |
| Take from | Something leaves the group | \(80 – 30 = 50\) |
| Put together | Two parts make a whole | \(32 + 17 = 49\) |
| Take apart | A whole splits into parts | \(60 = 24 + ?\) |
| Compare | How many more or fewer? | \(71 – 48 = 23\) |
When something leaves, hop backward on a number line. Starting at 85 and taking away 30 lands on 55.
To compare two amounts, line up two bars. The gap between them is the difference. Words like more than and fewer than tell you to compare.
How do you solve a two-step problem?
A two-step problem needs two math sentences. The answer to the first step is used in the second step.
- Read the story and say it in your own words.
- Find the question. Circle what you must find.
- Draw a bar model for the first step and solve it.
- Use that answer in a second bar model and solve.
- Check: does the answer make sense in the story?
Worked example. Diego has 46 stamps. His aunt gives him 28 more. Then he gives 15 stamps to a friend. How many stamps does Diego have now?
Step 1: \(46 + 28 = 74\). Step 2: \(74 – 15 = 59\). Diego has 59 stamps.
A letter or a question mark can stand for the number you do not know yet, as in \(46 + ? = 74\). The unknown can be the start, the change, or the result.
Word problems lesson: questions and answers
How do I know whether to add or subtract?
Ask what happens in the story. If things join or two parts make a whole, add. If things leave or you compare two amounts, subtract. Drawing a bar model helps you see it.
What is a bar model?
A bar model is a drawing of rectangles that stand for numbers. Parts sit side by side and the whole is written above them. The missing number is shown with a ?.
What does it mean to compare in a word problem?
Comparing means finding how many more or how many fewer one amount is. Subtract the smaller number from the larger, as in \(71 – 48 = 23\).
How do I solve a two-step word problem?
Solve one small question first, then use that answer to solve the final question. Write one math sentence for each step and check that your last answer fits the story.
What if the unknown is at the start?
Write an equation with a ? at the start, such as \(? + 26 = 90\). Then think of the whole and the part you know, and subtract: \(90 – 26 = 64\).
How to use this word problems lesson
Read the definitions first, then follow the worked method line by line and redo the example on paper without looking. When every step makes sense, move on to the worksheet, then check yourself with the quiz.
Download the word problems lesson as a PDF with the button below and keep it with your notes.
Download the word problems lesson as a PDF with the button below and keep it with your notes.
All Grade 2 chapters: Grade 2 math.
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