Addition & Subtraction Word Problems — Answer Key
Part A: Sort the Words
Sort each word or number into the correct category box.
1. Sort each word problem into the correct category.
Addition Problem
Sara has 12 apples. She gets 8 more.A bag has 14 pencils. 5 more are added.Jake collected 16 rocks and found 7 more. Subtraction Problem
Tom had 25 crayons. He lost 9.There were 30 birds. 11 flew away.Nina had 40 stickers. She gave away 15. Look for key words in each problem. Words like 'more,' 'added,' and 'in all' tell you to add. Words like 'left,' 'fewer,' and 'gave away' tell you to subtract.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Sara has 12 apples. She gets 8 more. She has 20 apples now.
The word 'more' tells you to add. 12 + 8 = 20. Sara has 20 apples now.
2. Tom had 25 crayons. He lost 9. He has 16 crayons left.
The word 'lost' tells you to subtract. 25 − 9 = 16. Tom has 16 crayons left.
3. Key words like 'more,' 'added,' and 'in all' signal addition.
These key words tell you that the problem is asking you to combine amounts, which means you need to add.
4. Key words like 'left,' 'fewer,' and 'gave away' signal subtraction.
These key words tell you that the problem is asking you to take away or find a difference, which means you need to subtract.
5. A number sentence uses numbers and operation signs.
A number sentence like 12 + 8 = 20 uses numbers and operation signs such as + (plus), − (minus), and = (equals).
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. The word 'total' signals an addition problem.
True False
The word 'total' means you need to find the combined amount, which signals addition.
2. 20 − 8 = 13.
True False
20 − 8 = 12, not 13. Count back 8 from 20 to get 12.
3. The word 'fewer' signals a subtraction problem.
True False
The word 'fewer' means one group has less than another, which signals subtraction.
4. 14 + 5 = 19.
True False
14 + 5 = 19. Add the ones: 4 + 5 = 9. The tens stay at 1. So 14 + 5 = 19.