One and Two-Step Problems

Grade 2 · mathematics · 105 practice problems · read aloud

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One and Two-Step Word Problems

🧠 What Are They and Why Are They Useful?

One and two-step problems are math stories! You read a short story and use math to find the answer. One-step problems need just one math move (like adding once). Two-step problems need two math moves (like adding, then subtracting). This is useful because it helps you solve real-life problems, like figuring out how many cookies are left or how many toys you have in total.

🛤️ Step-by-Step Guide to Solving

  1. Read Carefully: Read the whole problem slowly. Find the question it is asking.
  2. Find the Numbers: What numbers do you see in the story? Write them down.
  3. Look for Clue Words: Words like "in all," "altogether," or "total" often mean add (+). Words like "left," "remain," or "more" often mean subtract (-).
  4. Plan Your Steps: Is this a one-step or two-step problem? Decide if you need to do one thing or two things with the numbers.
  5. Solve Step-by-Step: Do the first step. Then, if needed, use that answer for the second step.
  6. Check Your Answer: Does your answer make sense? Read the story again with your number to see if it fits!

📚 Visual Examples

Example 1: One-Step Problem

Maria has 7 stickers. Her friend gives her 5 more. How many stickers does she have now?

  1. Step 1: The clue word "more" tells us to add.
  2. Step 2: Solve: 7 + 5 = 12.
  3. Answer: Maria has 12 stickers.

Example 2: Two-Step Problem

Liam had 15 toy cars. He gave 4 to his brother and then bought 3 new ones. How many cars does he have now?

  1. Step 1 (Give away): He gave some away, so subtract. 15 - 4 = 11 cars.
  2. Step 2 (Buy new): He bought new ones, so add. 11 + 3 = 14 cars.
  3. Answer: Liam now has 14 toy cars.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Mixing up Steps: In a two-step problem, don't do both steps at once. Solve the first part before you start the second.
  • Ignoring the Question: Sometimes you find a number in the first step, but it's not the final answer! Make sure you answer the question at the end of the story.
  • Using the Wrong Operation: Rushing can make you add when you should subtract. Look for those clue words!

💡 Tips & Tricks

  • Underline the Question: This helps you remember what you are trying to find.
  • Draw a Picture: If you're stuck, draw the story! Draw 15 cars, cross out 4, then draw 3 more.
  • Think "Then What?": After the first thing happens in the story, ask yourself, "Then what happened?" This helps you find the second step.

🎯 How to Practice

  • Ask a family member to make up simple stories about toys or snacks for you to solve.
  • Use small objects like blocks or cereal to act out the problems.
  • Try writing your own word problems for a friend to solve!

Practice problems

6 of the 105, worked through step by step — try them before opening the answer.

1 45 + 37 = ?

Hint: Add the ones place first, then the tens place

Show the answer

Answer: 82

  1. Add the ones place: 5 + 7 = 12. Write down 2 and carry over 1 to the tens place.
  2. Add the tens place: 4 + 3 + 1 (carried over) = 8.
  3. Combine the tens and ones: 80 + 2 = 82.

The answer is 82.

2 67 - 29 = ?

Hint: Think about regrouping when subtracting a larger number from a smaller one in the ones place.

Show the answer

Answer: 38

  1. Write the problem vertically: 67 - 29.
  2. Look at the ones column: 7 - 9. Since 7 is smaller than 9, we need to regroup from the tens place.
  3. Take 1 ten from the 6 tens, which leaves 5 tens. Add that 1 ten (which is 10 ones) to the 7 ones, making 17 ones.
  4. Now subtract the ones: 17 - 9 = 8.
  5. Now subtract the tens: 5 - 2 = 3.
  6. Combine the tens and ones: 3 tens and 8 ones is 38.

The answer is 38.

3 73 - 48 = ?

Hint: When subtracting, if the top number in the ones place is smaller than the bottom number, you'll need to borrow from the tens place.

Show the answer

Answer: 25

  1. Write the problem vertically: 73 - 48
  2. Look at the ones column: 3 - 8. Since 3 is smaller than 8, we need to borrow from the tens place.
  3. Take 1 ten from the 7 tens, which leaves 6 tens. Add that 1 ten (which is 10 ones) to the 3 ones, making 13 ones.
  4. Now subtract the ones: 13 - 8 = 5.
  5. Now subtract the tens: 6 - 4 = 2.
  6. Combine the tens and ones: 2 tens and 5 ones is 25.

The answer is 25.

4 78 - 42 + 15 = ?

Hint: Remember to perform the operations from left to right

Show the answer

Answer: 51

  1. Start with 78 - 42
  2. 78 - 42 = 36
  3. Now add 15 to the result
  4. 36 + 15 = 51

The answer is 51.

5 84 - 36 + 19 = ?

Hint: Remember to work from left to right when solving multi-step problems

Show the answer

Answer: 67

  1. Start with the first operation: 84 - 36
  2. 84 - 36 = 48
  3. Now add 19 to the result: 48 + 19
  4. 48 + 19 = 67

The answer is 67.

6 84 - 56 + 23 = ?

Hint: Remember to work from left to right. Start by subtracting, then add the third number to your result.

Show the answer

Answer: 51

  1. Start with the first operation: 84 - 56.
  2. 84 - 56 = 28.
  3. Now take this result and add the next number: 28 + 23.
  4. 28 + 23 = 51.

The answer is 51.

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