Multi-Step Word Problems Worksheet

Reteach: Multi-Step Word Problems
In multi-step word problems, one or more problems have to be solved in order to get the
information needed to solve the question being asked.
The danger with this type of problem is thinking that you have reached your answer after solving
only the first part of the problem, and stopping too soon.
Before rushing to solve the problem, it is worth your time to slow down and clarify your
understanding. Be sure you know what is being asked, what you already know from the problem,
and what you need to know in order to solve the question being asked.
Reteach: Guided Practice
Let's look at a simple multi-step problem:
Cindy had 18 pieces of candy. She ate six pieces in the morning, and
four more pieces in the afternoon. How many pieces of candy does
she have left?
Start by clarifying what you understand, and what you are being asked to solve.
18 pieces is the total amount of candy.

Six pieces is the amount she eats in the morning.
Four pieces is the amount she eats in the afternoon.
“How many pieces of candy does she have left?” is the question being asked.
Start by adding together 6 + 4 to find the total candies eaten: 10.

Don’t be fooled into stopping there. The question being asked is “how many are left?” not “how
many are eaten?”. Take the final step of subtracting the total eaten, 10, from the total candies,
18. Since 18 – 10 = 8, Cindy has 8 pieces left.
Independent Practice: Multi-Step Word Problems
Solve each problem below. Clarify what you know, and what you need to know to solve the question being
asked. Solve the first step to get the rest of the information you need. Use that information to solve the
second step that gives you the final answer. Check and make sure your answer is reasonable.
Jerry had a box of 64 crayons. He lost eight of them, and his little sister broke three of
them. How many crayons does Jerry have left?
Step One:
Step Two:
Jerry has crayons left. Since the problem tells two ways that Jerry lost some
crayons, he should have less crayons than he started out with. Is your answer
reasonable?
Samantha and Krystal have twenty minutes to walk to school together. It takes them six
minutes to get to the corner where the library is. It takes them another seven minutes to
get to the fire station. How much longer do they have to get to school without being late?
Step One:
Step Two:
They have minutes left. Since the problem tells two amounts of time that the girls
use up while walking, the amount they have left should be less than the amount of time
they started with. Is your answer reasonable?
Robert wants to practice goal kicks for soccer. He decides to have 12 kicks before going
home from the park. He takes 5 kicks before taking a break to get a drink of water. He
then takes another 4 kicks. How many more kicks does he need to make before he goes
home?
Step One:
Step Two:
He still needs to take kicks. Since the problem tells two amounts of kicks that he
has already made, the amount of kicks he has left should be less than the amount of
kicks he needed to take in the beginning. Is your answer reasonable?
Independent Practice: Multi-Step Word Problems
Solve each problem below. Clarify what you know, and what you need to know to solve the question being
asked. Solve the first step to get the rest of the information you need. Use that information to solve the
second step that gives you the final answer. Check and make sure your answer is reasonable.
Ashleigh runs 2 miles on Monday and three times that many on Tuesday. If she wants to
run a total of 20 miles this week, how many more miles does she need to run?
Step One: Step Two:
Step Three:
She needs to run more miles. Since the problem tells two amounts of miles that
she has already run, the amount she has left to run should be less than the number of
miles she set as her goal for the week. Is your answer reasonable?
Dawn has 21 candies that she wants to make into parcels of 3. She wants to give these
parcels to 5 of her friends. How many parcels will she have left over?
Step One:
Step Three:
She will have parcels left over. Since she is dividing the total number of candies,
the number of groups or parcels should be less than the total. Also, the number of
parcels left over should be less than the total number of parcels. Is your answer
reasonable?
John earned $12 on Saturday but he only managed to earn half that amount on Sunday.
He earned $26 the previous weekend. How much more does he need to earn to give him
the $60 he needs to buy a new hockey stick?
Step One: Step Two:
Step Three:
He needs $ more. Since the problem tells of three amounts of money that he has
already earned, the amount still required should be less than the total amount required.
Is your answer reasonable?

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Reteach: Multi-Step Word Problems

Reteach: Guided Practice

Let's look at a simple multi-step problem:

18 pieces is the total amount of candy.

Start by adding together 6 + 4 to find the total candies eaten: 10.

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