LearningTip #35: Reading Math:
Using the "Story" to Help Children Solve Math Story Problems
By Joyce Melton Pagés, Ed.D.
Mother of two children, President of KidBibs

Math story problems.  Many children have problems with math story problems.  They don't know where to begin, which information to use to solve them, or what to do.  Some children give up before they even start.  Others don't read them; they see the numbers and guess at what they're supposed to do. 

Children often enjoy stories.  They're drawn into the plot and delighted by the pictures which support the plot.  But, somehow, many don't find the story in mathematics story problems. 

Stories have a setting, characters, problem, events related to solving the problem, and resolution.  Most math story problems, on the other hand, have three basic parts:  the situation, the event, and the question.  The situation is usually the first sentence or two of the problem (indicated in blue type below).  The event is what happens to change the situation (indicated in green type below).  The question then poses the problem or asks how the event changed the situation (indicated in red type below).  It often helps to have children identify the parts of a problem.  Underlining each part of the problem in a different color of crayon or marker can help the child start to define what s/he is expected to do.

Jeffrey has saved $6.78.  The shiny toy airplane that he wants is $4.55. If Jeffrey buys the toy airplane, how much money will Jeffrey have left?

$6.78
-4.55
$2.23

Sometimes story problems have extra information.  This often confuses children because they don't know what to do with it.  They think that they have to use it.  Teach children to draw a single line through information that they do not need to solve the problem so they can focus on solving the problem.  Modeling this process helps children understand how they are supposed to do this.

Jeffrey likes toy airplanes.  He has two airplanes but he wants another one.  Jeffrey has saved $6.78.  The shiny toy airplane that he wants is $4.55.   If Jeffrey buys the toy airplane, how much money will Jeffrey have left?

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The "real world" and the classroom provide numerous opportunities for parents and teachers to help children discover the story in story problems.

Strategies

1.  Turn everyday situations into mathematics story problems.  At school, story problems can be built around attendance, lunch money, the daily schedule, etc.  At home and in the real world, parents and children can construct story problems around experiences.  For example, at the grocery store with a preschooler, the parent could frame problems such as: "I need two cans of soup.  I just put one can in the cart.  How many more cans do I need to get?"  There are numerous opportunities for composing story problems around money, quantity,  measurement, time, etc. in the real world.  In addition to helping children learn about story problems, this helps children understand the relevance of mathematics to their lives.

2.  Act out story problems.  Use beans, blocks, toys, or other manipulatives to exhibit the scenario spelled out in a story problem.  Physical objects help children conceptualize the problem's story and the process that they should engage in to solve the problem.

3.  Teach children how to draw the story problem.  In an addition problem, have the children draw the number specified in the situation and add the number indicated in the event; then they can count to get the answer.  In a subtraction problem, have the children draw the number specified in the situation and mark through the number that needs to be subtracted based on the event; then they can count.  Multiplication and division problems can be pictured with groupings. Etc.  Drawing pictures strengthens the child's understanding of the problem solving process and gives young children a strategy that they can use when solving problems independently (while taking tests, for example).

4.  Turn simple computation problems into stories.  For example, the child's homework sheet has the following problem:   8÷4= __.  Help your child turn it into a story problem such as:  "The pizza is cut into 8 slices.  You and three of your friends are going to eat the pizza.  How many slices will each of you get?"  This makes the child understand the relevance of mathematics to his/her life and makes computation more meaningful.  This also helps the child develop an understanding of how math story problems work.

5.  Have children write mathematics story problems.  Writing story problems helps children read story problems more meaningfully.  The experience of framing a problem helps them develop an understanding of the syntax of story problems while they learn how questions are phrased.   Once they've had experience writing story problems, they can better understand how the writer has framed a story problem for them to solve.  Children enjoy writing story problems for others to solve.  They can write problems and trade with a classmate or friend.  Problems written by one class can be traded with another class.  The child or the class can staple story problems together in book form to put it in the class library.

6.  Use content stickers as a stimulus for writing story problems.  Parents and teachers can find stickers (in teacher supply stores, craft stores, etc.) related to interests or topics being studied in a unit (i.e., ocean animal stickers for a unit on the ocean).  Have children choose, for example, an ocean animal included in the stickers and write a story problem about it.   For example, the child chooses the octopus and writes:  "An octopus has eight legs.  How many legs would two octopuses have?"  They could use two octopus stickers to illustrate their problem.   This can reinforce content studied in the unit, integrate math in meaningful ways, and provide the child with a starting point for writing a story problem.

7.  Read children's books that depict mathematics story problems.  Each of the following books has a plot based on a mathematics story problem.  They provide scenarios that can be discussed, drawn, and acted out in entertaining ways. These books have been linked to Amazon.com for secure on-line purchase, if desired.

Children's Mathematical Stories

The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins.  Mom has baked cookies, but every time the doorbell rings, the children need to figure out how many cookies each person will get.

Spaghetti and Meatballs for All by Marilyn Burns.  The relatives are arriving for the family reunion.  How do the tables need to be arranged so that everyone has a place to sit?

Amanda Bean's Amazing Dream:  A Mathematical Story by Cindy Neuschwander.  Amanda counts everything until a dream teaches her the virtues of multiplication.

Pigs Will Be Pigs by Amy Axelrod.  The pigs are hungry but there's no food in the house.  They collect money from pockets, drawers, couch cushions, etc. to go out to eat.

Pigs Go to Market by Amy Axelrod.  Grandpa and Grandma Pig win a 5-minute shopping spree in the grocery store.  They plan their strategy to get the most value in the race.

Divide and Ride by Stuart J. Murphy.  The roller coaster cars must be full before the ride can begin.  How can the children fill the cars?

Too Many Kangaroo Things to Do by Stuart J. Murphy.  Young kangaroo is disappointed because his friends won't play with him.  He doesn't know that his friends are busy multiplying to organize tasks to give him a surprise birthday party.

Discovering the story in story problems is a fun way to help children learn how to solve mathematics story problems.  The world is full of stories!  The world is also full of mathematics story problems! 

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