Sarah Heywood

Teaching Mathematics

Linguistic Challenge

First Grade Word Problems

1) Tim has 11 flowers. Some are red. Some are yellow. How many of each could he have?

Circle Yes or No to tell if each combination shows the red and yellow flowers that

Tim could have.

A) 3 red + 8 yellow Yes/No

B) 5 red + 2 yellow Symbolic with written language Yes/No

C) 6 red + 5 yellow Yes/No

D) 7 red + 4 yellow Yes/No

E) 2 red + 9 yellow Yes/No

This word problem was taken from the Cambridge District Unit 3 Math Pre-Assessment. It is

Multisemiotic in nature.

Written Language Visual Symbolic

Solution

This problem requires students to know that the answer options they are looking at are providing

the two parts to the given whole (11 flowers). Students would have to find the solution for each

sum and circle Yes for all the ones whose total is 11 and No for the ones that do not.

A) 3 red + 8 yellow = 11 Yes/No

B) 5 red + 2 yellow = 7 Yes/No

C) 6 red + 5 yellow = 11 Yes/No

 D) 7 red + 4 yellow = 11 Yes/No

E) 2 red + 9 yellow = 11 Yes/No

2) Write and solve an addition sentence that fits this: Ashley has 5 more presents than Jack.

Jack has 9 presents. How many presents does Ashley have?

___9____ + ___5_____ = ___14____

This problem was taken from an addition word problem worksheet on teachers pay teachers. It is

Multisemiotic in nature and shows a Non-temporal Sequence.

Written Language Visual Symbolic

First Second