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How to Solve Word Problems
Since we have calculators to work with, it might seem as if we would always get the correct answer to a math problem. But calculators are actually just tools to help us do quick and accurate math calculations. That frees us to understand the problems we are trying to solve. We can focus our attention on what a problem is asking and how to use the numbers we are given to solve a problem.
Math has four basic processes: adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Using these four processes correctly is the first step in learning how to use math to solve problems in the bakery.
One way to understand word problems is to look for clues in the problem to help decide which process to use. For example, for addition, some clue words are: total, increase, all together, and combine. Let’s look at a problem:
If your bakery spent $649.37 for the monthly solid waste fee, and $749.23 for the monthly utilities fee, how much did your bakery spend all together?
Notice the words “all together” in the problem. This is a clue that we want to add the two numbers. So we will add 649.37 + 749.23 = 1398.6 When we are talking about money, unless the answer comes out in even dollars, we want it to come out in dollars and cents. So we will say the total the bakery spent on solid waste and utilities was $1398.60.
Some clue words for subtraction are: fewer than, decrease, take away, and left.
If you make 124 cakes for the bake sale, and you sell 103 of them, how many cakes will you have left?
Notice the word “left” in the problem. This is a clue that we want to subtract the two numbers. We will start with the number of cakes we started with: 124 103 = 21. We will have 21 cakes left.
Multiplication uses some of the same clue words as addition, such as total and all together. It also uses words such as each, twice, double, triple, and times.
If the bakery pays $157.50 for each case of roasted garlic granules, how much would 5 cases cost in total?
The word “total” is a clue that we will either want to add or multiply, but the word “each” is a clue that we want to multiply. We will multiply 157.50 5 = 787.5. Again, we want to give the answer in dollars and cents, so our answer will be $787.50.
Some clue words for division are: divided, equally, half, third. The word “each” is also used in division problems.
If it costs you $33.75 to make a batch of 125 cookies, how much does it cost to make each cookie?
This problem can’t be solved simply by looking at the clue word. Does “each” mean to multiply or to divide? While clue words are helpful in setting up and solving word problems, it’s always necessary to read word problems carefully and understand what they are asking. In this case read the problem carefully. We are starting with a total cost, and then we want to find the cost for a part of the total. We want to divide the cost between each of the 125 cookies. 33.75 125 = 0.27 It costs $0.27 (or 27 cents) to make each cookie.
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