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20 Effective Math Strategies To Approach Problem-Solving 

Katie Keeton

Math strategies for problem-solving help students use a range of approaches to solve many different types of problems. It involves identifying the problem and carrying out a plan of action to find the answer to mathematical problems.  

Problem-solving skills are essential to math in the general classroom and real-life. They require logical reasoning and critical thinking skills.  students must be equipped with strategies to help them find solutions to problems.

This article explores mathematical problem solving strategies, logical reasoning and critical thinking skills to help learners with solving math word problems independently in real-life situations. 

What are problem-solving strategies?

Problem-solving strategies in math are methods students can use to figure out solutions to math problems. Some problem-solving strategies: 

• Draw a model
• Use different approaches
• Check the inverse to make sure the answer is correct

Students need to have a toolkit of math problem-solving strategies at their disposal to provide different ways to approach math problems. This makes it easier to find solutions and understand math better. 

Strategies can help guide students to the solution when it is difficult ot know when to start.

The ultimate guide to problem solving techniques

Download these ready-to-go problem solving techniques that every student should know. Includes printable tasks for students including challenges, short explanations for teachers with questioning prompts.

20 Math Strategies For Problem-Solving

Different problem-solving math strategies are required for different parts of the problem. It is unlikely that students will use the same strategy to understand and solve the problem. 

Here are 20 strategies to help students develop their problem-solving skills. 

Strategies to understand the problem

Strategies that help students understand the problem before solving it helps ensure they understand: 

• The context
• What the key information is
• How to form a plan to solve it

Following these steps leads students to the correct solution and makes the math word problem easier .

Here are five strategies to help students understand the content of the problem and identify key information. 

1. Read the problem aloud

Read a word problem aloud to help understand it. Hearing the words engages auditory processing. This can make it easier to process and comprehend the context of the situation.

2. Highlight keywords 

When keywords are highlighted in a word problem, it helps the student focus on the essential information needed to solve it. Some important keywords help determine which operation is needed.  For example, if the word problem asks how many are left, the problem likely requires subtraction.  Ensure students highlight the keywords carefully and do not highlight every number or keyword. There is likely irrelevant information in the word problem.

3. Summarize the information

Read the problem aloud, highlight the key information and then summarize the information. Students can do this in their heads or write down a quick summary.  Summaries should include only the important information and be in simple terms that help contextualize the problem.

4. Determine the unknown

A common problem that students have when solving a word problem is misunderstanding what they are solving. Determine what the unknown information is before finding the answer.  Often, a word problem contains a question where you can find the unknown information you need to solve. For example, in the question ‘How many apples are left?’ students need to find the number of apples left over.

5. Make a plan

Once students understand the context of the word problem, have dentified the important information and determined the unknown, they can make a plan to solve it.  The plan will depend on the type of problem. Some problems involve more than one step to solve them as some require more than one answer.  Encourage students to make a list of each step they need to take to solve the problem before getting started.

Strategies for solving the problem 

1. draw a model or diagram.

Students may find it useful to draw a model, picture, diagram, or other visual aid to help with the problem solving process.  It can help to visualize the problem to understand the relationships between the numbers in the problem. In turn, this helps students see the solution.

Similarly, you could draw a model to represent the objects in the problem:

2. Act it out

This particular strategy is applicable at any grade level but is especially helpful in math investigation in elementary school . It involves a physical demonstration or students acting out the problem using movements, concrete resources and math manipulatives .  When students act out a problem, they can visualize and contectualize the word problem in another way and secure an understanding of the math concepts.  The examples below show how 1st-grade students could “act out” an addition and subtraction problem:

3. Work backwards

Working backwards is a popular problem-solving strategy. It involves starting with a possible solution and deciding what steps to take to arrive at that solution.  This strategy can be particularly helpful when students solve math word problems involving multiple steps. They can start at the end and think carefully about each step taken as opposed to jumping to the end of the problem and missing steps in between.

For example,

To solve this problem working backwards, start with the final condition, which is Sam’s grandmother’s age (71) and work backwards to find Sam’s age. Subtract 20 from the grandmother’s age, which is 71.  Then, divide the result by 3 to get Sam’s age. 71 – 20 = 51 51 ÷ 3 = 17 Sam is 17 years old.

4. Write a number sentence

When faced with a word problem, encourage students to write a number sentence based on the information. This helps translate the information in the word problem into a math equation or expression, which is more easily solved.  It is important to fully understand the context of the word problem and what students need to solve before writing an equation to represent it.

5. Use a formula

Specific formulas help solve many math problems. For example, if a problem asks students to find the area of a rug, they would use the area formula (area = length × width) to solve.   Make sure students know the important mathematical formulas they will need in tests and real-life. It can help to display these around the classroom or, for those who need more support, on students’ desks.

Strategies for checking the solution 

Once the problem is solved using an appropriate strategy, it is equally important to check the solution to ensure it is correct and makes sense. 

There are many strategies to check the solution. The strategy for a specific problem is dependent on the problem type and math content involved.

Here are five strategies to help students check their solutions. 

1. Use the Inverse Operation

For simpler problems, a quick and easy problem solving strategy is to use the inverse operation. For example, if the operation to solve a word problem is 56 ÷ 8 = 7 students can check the answer is correct by multiplying 8 × 7. As good practice, encourage students to use the inverse operation routinely to check their work. 

2. Estimate to check for reasonableness

Once students reach an answer, they can use estimation or rounding to see if the answer is reasonable.  Round each number in the equation to a number that’s close and easy to work with, usually a multiple of ten.  For example, if the question was 216 ÷ 18 and the quotient was 12, students might round 216 to 200 and round 18 to 20. Then use mental math to solve 200 ÷ 20, which is 10.  When the estimate is clear the two numbers are close. This means your answer is reasonable. 

3. Plug-In Method

This method is particularly useful for algebraic equations. Specifically when working with variables.  To use the plug-in method, students solve the problem as asked and arrive at an answer. They can then plug the answer into the original equation to see if it works. If it does, the answer is correct.

If students use the equation 20m+80=300 to solve this problem and find that m = 11, they can plug that value back into the equation to see if it is correct. 20m + 80 = 300 20 (11) + 80 = 300 220 + 80 = 300 300 = 300 ✓

4. Peer Review

Peer review is a great tool to use at any grade level as it promotes critical thinking and collaboration between students. The reviewers can look at the problem from a different view as they check to see if the problem was solved correctly.   Problem solvers receive immediate feedback and the opportunity to discuss their thinking with their peers. This strategy is effective with mixed-ability partners or similar-ability partners. In mixed-ability groups, the partner with stronger skills provides guidance and support to the partner with weaker skills, while reinforcing their own understanding of the content and communication skills.  If partners have comparable ability levels and problem-solving skills, they may find that they approach problems differently or have unique insights to offer each other about the problem-solving process.

5. Use a Calculator

A calculator can be introduced at any grade level but may be best for older students who already have a foundational understanding of basic math operations. Provide students with a calculator to allow them to check their solutions independently, accurately, and quickly. Since calculators are so readily available on smartphones and tablets, they allow students to develop practical skills that apply to real-world situations.  

Step-by-step problem-solving processes for your classroom

In his book, How to Solve It , published in 1945, mathematician George Polya introduced a 4-step process to solve problems. 

Polya’s 4 steps include:

• Understand the problem
• Devise a plan
• Carry out the plan

Today, in the style of George Polya, many problem-solving strategies use various acronyms and steps to help students recall. 

Many teachers create posters and anchor charts of their chosen process to display in their classrooms. They can be implemented in any elementary, middle school or high school classroom. 

Here are 5 problem-solving strategies to introduce to students and use in the classroom.

How Third Space Learning improves problem-solving 

Resources .

Third Space Learning offers a free resource library is filled with hundreds of high-quality resources. A team of experienced math experts carefully created each resource to develop students mental arithmetic, problem solving and critical thinking. 

Explore the range of problem solving resources for 2nd to 8th grade students. 

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Third Space Learning offers one-on-one math tutoring to help students improve their math skills. Highly qualified tutors deliver high-quality lessons aligned to state standards. 

Former teachers and math experts write all of Third Space Learning’s tutoring lessons. Expertly designed lessons follow a “my turn, follow me, your turn” pedagogy to help students move from guided instruction and problem-solving to independent practice. 

Throughout each lesson, tutors ask higher-level thinking questions to promote critical thinking and ensure students are developing a deep understanding of the content and problem-solving skills.

Problem-solving

Educators can use many different strategies to teach problem-solving and help students develop and carry out a plan when solving math problems. Incorporate these math strategies into any math program and use them with a variety of math concepts, from whole numbers and fractions to algebra. 

Teaching students how to choose and implement problem-solving strategies helps them develop mathematical reasoning skills and critical thinking they can apply to real-life problem-solving.

READ MORE : 8 Common Core math examples

There are many different strategies for problem-solving; Here are 5 problem-solving strategies: • draw a model  • act it out  • work backwards  • write a number sentence • use a formula

Here are 10 strategies of problem-solving: • Read the problem aloud • Highlight keywords • Summarize the information • Determine the unknown • Make a plan • Draw a model  • Act it out  • Work backwards  • Write a number sentence • Use a formula

1. Understand the problem 2. Devise a plan 3. Carry out the plan 4. Look back

Some strategies you can use to solve challenging math problems are: breaking the problem into smaller parts, using diagrams or models, applying logical reasoning, and trying different approaches.

Related articles

Why Student Centered Learning Is Important: A Guide For Educators

13 Effective Learning Strategies: A Guide to Using them in your Math Classroom

Differentiated Instruction: 9 Differentiated Curriculum And Instruction Strategies For Teachers 

5 Math Mastery Strategies To Incorporate Into Your 4th and 5th Grade Classrooms

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3 Ways to Strengthen Math Instruction

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Students’ math scores have plummeted, national assessments show , and educators are working hard to turn math outcomes around.

But it’s a challenge, made harder by factors like math anxiety , students’ feelings of deep ambivalence about how math is taught, and learning gaps that were exacerbated by the pandemic’s disruption of schools.

This week, three educators offered solutions on how districts can turn around poor math scores in a conversation moderated by Peter DeWitt, an opinion blogger for Education Week.

Here are three takeaways from the discussion. For more, watch the recording on demand .

1. Intervention is key

Research shows that early math skills are a key predictor of later academic success.

“Children who know more do better, and math is cumulative—so if you don’t grasp some of the earlier concepts, math gets increasingly harder,” said Nancy Jordan, a professor of education at the University of Delaware.

For example, many students struggle with the concept of fractions, she said. Her research has found that by 6th grade, some students still don’t really understand what a fraction is, which makes it harder for them to master more advanced concepts, like adding or subtracting fractions with unlike denominators.

At that point, though, teachers don’t always have the time in class to re-teach those basic or fundamental concepts, she said, which is why targeted intervention is so important.

Still, Jordan’s research revealed that in some middle schools, intervention time is not a priority: “If there’s an assembly, or if there is a special event or whatever, it takes place during intervention time,” she said. “Or ... the children might sit on computers, and they’re not getting any really explicit instruction.”

2. ‘Gamify’ math class

Students today need new modes of instruction that meet them where they are, said Gerilyn Williams, a math teacher at Pinelands Regional Junior High School in Little Egg Harbor Township, N.J.

“Most of them learn through things like TikTok or YouTube videos,” she said. “They like to play games, they like to interact. So how can I bring those same attributes into my lesson?”

Part of her solution is gamifying instruction. Williams avoids worksheets. Instead, she provides opportunities for students to practice skills that incorporate elements of game design.

That includes digital tools, which provide students with the instant feedback they crave, she said.

But not all the games are digital. Williams’ students sometimes play “trashketball,” a game in which they work in teams to answer math questions. If they get the question right, they can crumble the piece of paper and throw it into a trash can from across the room.

“The kids love this,” she said.

Williams also incorporates game-based vocabulary into her instruction, drawing on terms from video games.

For example, “instead of calling them quizzes and tests, I call them boss battles,” she said. “It’s less frightening. It reduces that math anxiety, and it makes them more engaging.

“We normalize things like failure, because when they play video games, think about what they’re doing,” Williams continued. “They fail—they try again and again and again and again until they achieve success.”

3. Strengthen teacher expertise

To turn around math outcomes, districts need to invest in teacher professional development and curriculum support, said Chaunté Garrett, the CEO of ELLE Education, which partners with schools and districts to support student learning.

“You’re not going to be able to replace the value of a well-supported and well-equipped mathematics teacher,” she said. “We also want to make sure that that teacher has a math curriculum that’s grounded in the standards and conceptually based.”

Students will develop more critical thinking skills and better understand math concepts if teachers are able to relate instruction to real life, Garrett said—so that “kids have relationships that they can pull on, and math has some type of meaning and context to them outside of just numbers and procedures.”

It’s important for math curriculum to be both culturally responsive and relevant, she added. And teachers might need training on how to offer opportunities for students to analyze and solve real-world problems.

“So often, [in math problems], we want to go back to soccer and basketball and all of those things that we lived through, and it’s not that [current students] don’t enjoy those, but our students live social media—they literally live it,” Garrett said. “Those are the things that have to live out in classrooms right now, and if we’re not doing those things, we are doing a disservice.”

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Unit 2: Addition and subtraction

About this unit.

In this topic, we will add and subtract whole numbers. The topic starts with 1+1=2 and goes through adding and subtracting within 1000. We will cover regrouping, borrowing, and word problems.

Basic addition and subtraction

• Basic addition (Opens a modal)
• Basic subtraction (Opens a modal)
• Add and subtract: pieces of fruit (Opens a modal)
• Relating addition and subtraction (Opens a modal)
• Add within 5 7 questions Practice
• Subtract within 5 7 questions Practice
• Add within 10 7 questions Practice
• Subtract within 10 7 questions Practice
• Relate addition and subtraction 7 questions Practice
• Getting to 10 by filling boxes (Opens a modal)
• Adding to 10 (Opens a modal)
• Make 10 (grids and number bonds) 7 questions Practice
• Make 10 7 questions Practice

Addition and subtraction word problems within 10

• Addition word problems within 10 (Opens a modal)
• Subtraction word problems within 10 (Opens a modal)
• Addition word problems within 10 7 questions Practice
• Subtraction word problems within 10 7 questions Practice

Addition and subtraction within 20

• Adding within 20 using place value blocks (Opens a modal)
• Adding within 20 using ten frames (Opens a modal)
• Adding 7 + 6 (Opens a modal)
• Adding 8 + 7 (Opens a modal)
• Adding with arrays (Opens a modal)
• Subtracting different ways (Opens a modal)
• Subtract within 20 using a number line (Opens a modal)
• Subtract within 20 using place value blocks (Opens a modal)
• Subtract within 20 using ten frames (Opens a modal)
• Subtracting 14 - 6 (Opens a modal)
• Add within 20 visually 7 questions Practice
• Add within 20 7 questions Practice
• Adding with arrays 4 questions Practice
• Subtract within 20 visually 7 questions Practice
• Subtract within 20 7 questions Practice
• Find missing number (add and subtract within 20) 7 questions Practice
• Add & subtract within 20 7 questions Practice

Word problems within 20

• Addition and subtraction word problems: superheroes (Opens a modal)
• Addition and subtraction word problems: gorillas (Opens a modal)
• Addition and subtraction word problems 1 7 questions Practice
• Addition and subtraction word problems 2 7 questions Practice
• Add and subtract within 20 word problems 7 questions Practice

Word problems with "more" and "fewer"

• Comparison word problems: marbles (Opens a modal)
• Comparison word problems: roly-polies (Opens a modal)
• Word problems with "more" and "fewer" 2 7 questions Practice

Intro to addition with 2-digit numbers

• Adding 2-digit numbers without regrouping (Opens a modal)
• Adding 2-digit numbers without regrouping 1 (Opens a modal)
• Example: Adding 2-digit numbers (no carrying) (Opens a modal)
• Breaking apart 2-digit addition problems (Opens a modal)
• Regrouping to add 1-digit number (Opens a modal)
• Adding up to four 2-digit numbers 4 questions Practice
• Break apart 2-digit addition problems 4 questions Practice
• Regroup when adding 1-digit numbers 7 questions Practice

Intro to subtraction with 2-digit numbers

• Subtracting two-digit numbers without regrouping (Opens a modal)
• Subtracting 2-digit numbers without regrouping 1 (Opens a modal)
• Subtracting a 1-digit number with regrouping (Opens a modal)
• Subtract within 100 using place value blocks 4 questions Practice
• Subtract within 100 using a number line 4 questions Practice
• Subtract 1-digit numbers with regrouping 7 questions Practice

Strategies for adding and subtracting within 100

• Adding 53+17 by making a group of 10 (Opens a modal)
• Adding by making a group of 10 (Opens a modal)
• Strategies for adding 2-digit numbers (Opens a modal)
• Addition and subtraction with number lines (Opens a modal)
• Add 2-digit numbers by making tens 4 questions Practice
• Add 2-digit numbers by making tens 2 4 questions Practice
• Select strategies for adding within 100 4 questions Practice
• Add within 100 using a number line 4 questions Practice

Addition within 100

• Understanding place value when adding ones (Opens a modal)
• Understanding place value when adding tens (Opens a modal)
• Adding with regrouping (Opens a modal)
• Add within 100 using place value blocks 4 questions Practice

Subtraction within 100

• Subtracting with regrouping (borrowing) (Opens a modal)

Word problems within 100

• Adding and subtracting on number line word problems (Opens a modal)
• Adding two digit numbers on a number line (Opens a modal)
• Subtraction word problem: tennis balls (Opens a modal)
• Addition word problem: horses (Opens a modal)
• Subtraction word problem: snow (Opens a modal)
• Subtraction word problem: crayons (Opens a modal)
• Multi step addition word problem (Opens a modal)
• Multi-step subtraction word problem (Opens a modal)
• Add and subtract on the number line word problems 4 questions Practice
• Addition word problems within 100 4 questions Practice
• Subtraction word problems within 100 4 questions Practice
• 2-step addition word problems within 100 4 questions Practice
• 2-step subtraction word problems within 100 4 questions Practice

Adding 1s, 10s, and 100s

• Adding 10 or 100 (Opens a modal)
• Adding 1s, 10s, and 100s (Opens a modal)
• Adding 3-digit numbers (no regrouping) (Opens a modal)
• Add 10s and 100s (no regrouping) 4 questions Practice
• Add within 1,000 using place value blocks 4 questions Practice

Subtracting 1s, 10s, and 100s

• Subtracting 1, 10, or 100 (Opens a modal)
• Subtracting 1s, 10s, and 100s (Opens a modal)
• Subtracting 3-digit numbers (no regrouping) (Opens a modal)
• Subtract 10s and 100s (no regrouping) 7 questions Practice
• Subtract within 1,000 using place value blocks 4 questions Practice

Strategies for adding 2- and 3-digit numbers

• Breaking apart 3-digit addition problems (Opens a modal)
• Solving 3-digit addition in your head (Opens a modal)
• Addition using groups of 10 and 100 (Opens a modal)
• Adding and subtracting on number line (Opens a modal)
• Break apart 3-digit addition problems 4 questions Practice
• Add using groups of 10 and 100 4 questions Practice
• Add on a number line 4 questions Practice
• Select strategies for adding within 1000 4 questions Practice

Addition with regrouping within 1000

• Using place value to add 3-digit numbers: part 2 (Opens a modal)
• Adding 3-digit numbers (Opens a modal)
• Add within 1000 4 questions Practice

Subtraction with regrouping within 1000

• Worked example: Subtracting 3-digit numbers (regrouping) (Opens a modal)
• Worked example: Subtracting 3-digit numbers (regrouping twice) (Opens a modal)
• Worked example: Subtracting 3-digit numbers (regrouping from 0) (Opens a modal)
• Subtracting in your head (no regrouping) (Opens a modal)
• Subtract on a number line 4 questions Practice
• Subtract within 1000 4 questions Practice

Addition and subtraction missing value problems

• Missing numbers in addition and subtraction (Opens a modal)
• Missing number for 3-digit addition within 1000 (Opens a modal)
• Find the missing number (add and subtract within 100) 4 questions Practice
• Find the missing number (add and subtract within 1000) 4 questions Practice

Addition and subtraction greater than 1000

• Relate place value to standard algorithm for multi-digit addition (Opens a modal)
• Multi-digit addition with regrouping (Opens a modal)
• Multi-digit subtraction with regrouping: 6798-3359 (Opens a modal)
• Multi-digit subtraction with regrouping: 7329-6278 (Opens a modal)
• Multi-digit subtraction with regrouping twice (Opens a modal)
• Alternate mental subtraction method (Opens a modal)
• Adding multi-digit numbers: 48,029+233,930 (Opens a modal)
• Relate place value to standard algorithm for multi-digit subtraction (Opens a modal)
• Multi-digit subtraction: 389,002-76,151 (Opens a modal)
• Multi-digit addition 4 questions Practice
• Multi-digit subtraction 4 questions Practice