Math Drills
Decreasing Situations
1Word Problems
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What this worksheet covers
- Worksheet
- Decreasing Situations
This time the clue is the number left after a decrease. Scenes in which an amount shrinks through being handed out or used up ask two things, how much went and how much stood there before. The word problems keep the shape of the previous lesson, with only the direction being traced turned round.
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In a shrinking scene the starting amount is the largest number of all. Should the starting amount that comes out be smaller than any figure written in the text, it is wrong at that point. For the question about how much was lost, the answer comes out below the starting amount.
Working Backward Word Problems, two lessons in all, ends here. Together with Increasing Situations, questions that will not yield to an equation built in the order of the situation are now covered, and this way of reading goes on being used well beyond the grade.
- Finding the Amount Removed3 questions
- Finding the Starting Amount3 questions
Questions & answers
Problems and answers on this worksheet
These are the problems in “Working Backward Word Problems”, shown with their answers.
(1)On the roof, 73 birds were perched. Some flew away, so 45 were left. How many birds flew away? Answer □
Answer: 28birds
(2)At the birthday party, 61 balloons were hung up as decorations. Some popped, so 35 were left. How many balloons popped? Answer □
Answer: 26balloons
(3)There were 46 pencils in the pencil case. Some were used, so 18 were left. How many pencils were used? Answer □
Answer: 28pencils
(4)There were some tulips blooming in the park flower bed. 21 wilted, so 31 were left. How many were blooming at first? Answer □
Answer: 52tulips
(5)There were some candies prepared for the festival. 27 were handed out, so 19 were left. How many were there at first? Answer □
Answer: 46candies
(6)Liam had some stickers. He used 26, so 18 were left. How many were there at first? Answer □
Answer: 44stickers
