✏️ Write Equations to Represent Word Problems

📖 What the Section Is About

In this topic, students learn how to change word problems into equations with numbers, symbols, and variables. They use addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division signs to match the story. This helps in solving the problem step-by-step.

🎯 Learning Objectives

✅ Understand what an equation is
✅ Identify keywords in a word problem to choose the correct operation
✅ Write an equation using a symbol or variable for the unknown
✅ Represent real-world problems with equations
✅ Check that the equation matches the problem

🧪 Examples

  • “Sara has 12 apples. She buys 5 more. How many apples does she have now?” → 12 + 5 = ?

  • “Tom had 18 balloons. He gave away 6. How many does he have left?” → 18 − 6 = ?

  • “A box holds 8 rows of pencils, each with 10 pencils. How many pencils in total?” → 8 × 10 = ?

  • “The cost of 4 notebooks is $20. How much does one notebook cost?” → 4 × ? = 20

📘 Key Vocabulary and Definitions

  • Equation – A math sentence with numbers, symbols, and an equal sign

  • Variable – A letter or symbol that stands for an unknown number

  • Operation – Addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division

  • Keyword – A word in the problem that hints at the correct operation

🎲 Fun Practice Activities

  1. Activity Worksheet: Change 5 word problems into equations

  2. Test Yourself: Interactive Practice Quiz

🏡 Offline Homework Idea

Write 3 short stories from real life and turn each into an equation.