Numberless Word Problems

Grade 5 Mathematics
Numberless Word Problems

This activity primarily supports standard 1.OA.1., 1.OA.2, 2.OA.1, 3.OA.3, 3.OA.8, 4.OA.2, and 4.OA.3.  Word problems involve different story structures or problem situations.  Numberless Word Problems are designed to provide scaffolding that allows students the opportunity to develop a better understanding of the underlying structure of word problems.  

Originally developed by Brian Bushart, the powerpoint resources below address addition and subtraction problem types.  Each problem type, for example,  Join - Result Unknown, contains ten numberless word problems.  Teachers may choose to develop one problem type or use a combination of problem types (Separate - Change Unknown, Part-Part-Whole - Part Unknown) during one given week. numbers

Powerpoint Slide Decks for Numberless Word Problems Links to an external site.

 Some key questions include:

  • What do you notice?
  • What do you wonder?
  • How does the new information change or support your thinking?
  • What questions could be asked?

 

 *NEW* Additional Examples Appropriate for 5th Grade:

  • How would you find the distance around a square field if you know how long two-thirds of one side is?
  • To find the number of cubic feet in a box, what must you know and what must you do?
  • A horse, rider and saddle weigh a certain number of pounds; the man weighs nineteen times as much as the saddle. If you are told what two-thirds of the horse’s weight is, how will you find the weight of the saddle?
  • If one-third of a ceiling is painted blue, half the remaining surface red, and the remainder is unpainted, how can I find the fractional part of the ceiling that was unpainted?
  • If you know what fractional part of his marbles a boy lost and how many he has left, how can you find how many he lost?
  • If you know how many rows of trees in an orchard, how many trees in a row, how many bushels of apples to the tree on the average, and how much per bushel they are sold for, how can you find the value of the crop?

 

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