Math Drills
Decreasing Situations
3Word 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.
Read more
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)At the poultry farm, there were 36 chicks. Some flew away, so 16 were left. How many chicks flew away? Answer □
Answer: 20chicks
(2)In the park flower bed, 54 tulips were blooming. Some were picked, so 29 were left. How many tulips were picked? Answer □
Answer: 25tulips
(3)Grandma sent 49 apples. Some were eaten, so 32 were left. How many apples were eaten? Answer □
Answer: 17apples
(4)There were some pencils in the pencil case. 18 were used, so 25 were left. How many were there at first? Answer □
Answer: 43pencils
(5)Grandma gave me some apples. 36 were eaten, so 27 were left. How many were there at first? Answer □
Answer: 63apples
(6)There were some books in the library. 34 were lent out, so 22 were left. How many were there at first? Answer □
Answer: 56books




