18 May 2026
Word problems are part and parcel of the world, and they can be perplexing or challenging to solve at first glance. The good news is that, with the right preparations, students can learn concrete ways to understand and approach maths word problems more effectively.
If you wonder why students may struggle with maths word problems, it is not because of the mathematics involved. Instead, the exam paper’s time limit puts pressure on students to quickly skim a question, rushing into it and cherry-picking parts without reading it too deeply. As a result, they end up missing key details and mistakenly assume what the problem is actually asking for. To illustrate, if the question asks for A, a student may misread it and solve for B instead.
What needs to change is how students approach, interpret, and then solve the given maths word problem. Time pressure is understandable, but students need to change their approach to find the correct answer without wasting too much time.
Here are several steps and strategies to help students overcome their difficulties with problem-solving.
The clock may be ticking, but reading the question slowly and deliberately is still crucial to understanding what it wants from students. It helps if students identify certain keywords in the question that narrow down the maths problem’s requirements. For example, are there specific terms related to addition, subtraction, or something else in use? Which of these keywords hint at the required answer? Can students rephrase the question in terms they understand? If reading the question aloud helps with understanding, they should definitely do so.
Once a student reads the question, they should highlight the key points to avoid forgetting what is important. Students can use a highlighter or simply underline the keywords that matter to help them decipher the question. This can involve highlighting terms such as “total”, “difference”, “product”, and even mathematical terms and symbols that correspond to the question. It also prevents students from making simple, careless mistakes that may stem from overconfidence or mixing up values, ensuring they can reach the correct answer with little difficulty.
With all this new information, students can then plan their approach to solving the question. They can analyse all this key information and determine how to write the equation and whether it requires more than one operation. This is no longer about trial and error, as all the clues are on the table, allowing students to apply the most efficient method to solve the question. Illustrations are a great way to support the planning process, helping students break down more complex concepts and identify the steps needed to solve the problem.
Once students have a plan in mind, they can start writing down the steps to reach the answer. They need to write the workings in detail, breaking them down into neat, clearly labelled steps that lead to the final answer. The workings are essential in many ways, as they allow students to spot mistakes when reviewing their work, especially when it involves multiple operations, and demonstrate to examiners that students understand what is asked of them. Writing the full maths workings may even help students earn method marks, even if the final answer is incorrect.
Even after the workings are written, students should make a habit of double-checking or even triple-checking to ensure everything is written correctly and leads to the correct answer. Taking a brief moment to check the workings, work backward, and ensuring the answer makes sense helps students take stock of what they wrote. It lets them catch careless mistakes early and avoid losing precious marks.
At Matrix Math, we empower students with the strategies they need to succeed in their mathematical work. Whether it is helping them find the right approach or maximising available time, our professional tutors provide personalised maths tuition that strengthens their mathematical fundamentals and instills greater confidence in their ability to solve maths word problems with ease. Contact us today to learn more about our teaching approach!
