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3rd grade · Math · Unit 12 of 14

Two-Step Stories

Solve problems in two steps

What your child practices

Word problems that take two steps with any of the four operations, choosing an equation with a letter for the unknown, and checking an answer by estimating.

California Content Standards learning standard: 3.OA.8 · solving two-step problems with the four operations and checking answers by estimating

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Read the story and find the two steps.
  2. Do the first step, then use its answer in the second.
  3. Check: is the answer close to an estimate?

Example: Maya buys 4 packs of 6 stickers and gives away 5. How many are left? Step 1: 4 × 6 = 24. Step 2: 24 − 5 = 19. Answer: 19

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Priya buys 2 books that cost $4 each and pays with $10. How many dollars of change?

    • 12
    • 4
    • 3
    • 1
    • 2

  2. Question 2

    Noah has 6 bags with 9 grapes in each and eats 5. Which equation finds the grapes left, g?

    • 6 × 9 + 5 = g
    • 6 + 9 − 5 = g
    • 6 × (9 + 5) = g
    • 6 × 9 − 5 = g

  3. Question 3

    Maya adds 675 + 252 and gets 1227. Round to the nearest hundred to check. Is that answer reasonable?

    • No, it is far from the estimate
    • Yes, it is close to the estimate

  4. Question 4

    Priya picks 38 apples in the morning and 10 in the afternoon. Priya puts them in bags of 6. How many bags are filled?

    • 8
    • 10
    • 9
    • 48
    • 7

  5. Question 5

    Mia has 4 bags with 5 grapes in each and eats 4. Which equation finds the grapes left, g?

    • 4 × 5 − 4 = g
    • 4 × 5 + 4 = g
    • 4 + 5 − 4 = g
    • 4 × (5 + 4) = g

  6. Question 6

    Jay adds 371 + 333 and gets 904. Round to the nearest hundred to check. Is that answer reasonable?

    • Yes, it is close to the estimate
    • No, it is far from the estimate

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