When you have to solve a math word problem, the most important thing you can do is read the problem carefully. This first step sets you up for everything else. This is why it’s so important and some steps to follow when reading one…

Because word problems tell a story, you need to understand them to know what the problem is about. Knowing the story helps you see the problem more clearly and figure out what math you actually need to use, which is one of the most important steps.

Because word problems have specific details and values, it’s really important to keep track of all the details. Missing these can mess up your solution. It can help to write some notes on your first read.

On the first read it’s also really just important to get the Main Idea. It’s best to read the problem once to understand the general story and what’s being asked.

On the second read, that’s when we can start to focus on details. You can highlight or underline key information like numbers and single out what you’re actually looking for in the question.

The third read is where I finally start to write down the equation, and sometimes I read the question more times depending on how well I understand it.

Reading the problem several times helps you catch all the details and understand better.