KEY WORDS AND PHRASES FOR WORD PROBLEMS

ADDITION
1.

SUBTRACTION

Add

1. Subtract

2. Plus

2. Minus

3. Sum

3. Difference, change

4. Both, and

4. How many more/less

5. In all

5. How many/much are

left/remains

6. Altogether, all together, all

6. How many are not
7. Total
7. Key words ending with er:
How much higher, longer, faster,
heavier, larger, shorter, slower,
farther, fewer (Finding the
difference between 2 items or
comparing 2 things)

8. Combined,
together
9. Increased by
10. How many, how much

8. Reduced/decreased by
The sum will be greater than the
addends you began with.

MULTIPLICATION

The difference will be less than the 2

numbers you are subtracting.

DIVISION

1. Multiply by

1.

Divided by

2. Times, double, triple

2. Into

3. Product

3. Quotient

4. Every

4. Ratio (change a fraction to a

decimal)

5. Percent of
5. Same
6. At this rate
7. By (measurement)
8. Each, altogether, in all, total-ONLY
if the amount each group has is
equal. Ex., Each child had 6 folders.
There are 30 children. How many
folders are there in all? (6 x 30)
The product will be greater than the
factors you began with.

6. Equal parts/groups, split up,

shared, each group has
(splitting any whole into equal
parts)
7. What fraction, in half

The quotient will be less than the

numbers you are dividing.