Math Drills
Difference Word Problems Review
5Word Problems
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What this worksheet covers
Situations built on the words fewer and more are sorted according to whether they call for addition or subtraction. For fewer-than problems and for more-than problems alike, both the cases that turn into addition and the cases that turn into subtraction are covered.
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The most common error is choosing the operation from the wording alone: subtract whenever it says 3 fewer, add whenever it says more. Which quantity is actually being asked for has been missed, and the answer lands on the wrong side by exactly the difference. Drawing the situation makes the mix-up visible.
In this unit, words that mean fewer or more decide which expression to write, and the sense of judging larger from smaller sharpened in 2-Digit Subtraction becomes the clue. This way of reading a problem is put to use again later in Order and Position Word Problems, when finding a position or a number of people.
- 'Fewer' Word Problems · Addition1 question
- 'Fewer' Word Problems · Subtraction1 question
- 'More' Word Problems · Addition2 questions
- 'More' Word Problems · Subtraction2 questions
Questions & answers
Problems and answers on this worksheet
These are the problems in “Difference Word Problems”, shown with their answers.
(1)In the school's pond, there are 138 killifish. There are 45 fewer killifish than frogs. How many frogs are there? Answer □
Answer: 183frogs
(2)In the parking lot, 258 cars are parked. There are 79 fewer buses than cars. How many buses are there? Answer □
Answer: 179buses
(3)In the parking lot, 389 buses are parked. There are 265 more cars than buses. How many cars are there? Answer □
Answer: 654cars
(4)In the meadow, there are 317 ladybugs. There are 146 more cicadas than ladybugs. How many cicadas are there? Answer □
Answer: 463cicadas
(5)In the meadow, 34 butterflies were found. There are 17 more butterflies than ladybugs. How many ladybugs are there? Answer □
Answer: 17ladybugs
(6)At the festival, 612 candies were sold. There are 345 more candies than donuts. How many donuts were sold? Answer □
Answer: 267donuts
