Free 4th Grade Math Word Problems

What Do I Need to Know About 4th Grade Word Problems?

Word problems may be challenging for your 4th grader because there aren't explicit instructions for how to solve them. Instead, students have to sift through each problem to determine which numbers and operations to use, which can be discouraging.

As a parent, you can convey the importance of word problems to your child. Explain to him or her that word problems are included in standardized tests and higher level math classes and that they offer a chance to apply math to real-life situations.

To prepare practice problems that are in line with 4th grade curricula, you should include multiplication and division problems using multi-digit numbers. You also can include addition and subtraction problems with fractions that have the same denominators. For a challenge, you might include a problem that requires all four math operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division).

4th Grade Word Problems and Solutions

1. Jackie bakes cookies on Monday, cupcakes on Wednesday and biscuits on Friday. She uses 3 1/2 cups of flour for the cookies, 2 1/2 cups of flour for the cupcakes and 1 1/2 cups of flour for the biscuits. How many cups of flour does she use in all?

Your child should begin by turning the mixed numbers into improper fractions. For each, he or she should multiply the denominator (the bottom number of the fraction) by the whole number and add the numerator (the top number of the fraction). This number goes on top of the numerator. The improper fractions should be 7/2, 5/2, and 3/2. Then, your child should add the fractions together. Jackie used 15/2 cups, or 7 1/2 cups, of flour in all.

2. Chef Robert roasts 311 potatoes. If he wants to put three potatoes on each plate, how many plates of potatoes can he serve?

To solve, your child should divide 311 by three. The answer is 103 with a remainder of two. So, Chef Robert can make 103 plates of potatoes.

3. Cam makes $1.75 per day for allowance. How much money will he have after 31 days?

Have your child format this multiplication problem vertically: $1.75 should go at the top, while 31 is at the bottom. After 31 days, Cam will have $54.25.

4. Krystal and Brandon made brownies. They gave 1/8 of the brownies to their friends. Then, Krystal ate 3/8 of the brownies, and Brandon ate 2/8 of the brownies. How many brownies were left?

Your child should begin by adding the total number of brownies that were eaten or given away: 3/8 + 2/8 + 1/8 = 6/8. Then, he or she should subtract that number from the whole (8/8) to find the fraction that remains: 8/8 - 6/8 = 2/8, which can be reduced to 1/4. So, 1/4 of the brownies are leftover.