🧮Mathematics·10 min·Sample Lesson

Solving Math Story Problems by Drawing Pictures

If a math problem says '5 birds are sitting on a fence, and 2 fly away,' you don't need a calculator, you can draw 5 birds, cross out 2, and count what's left! This trick is called a picture problem, and it turns tricky word problems into something you can actually see.

What You'll Learn

- Turn word problems into simple pictures - Use pictures to add two groups together - Use pictures to take away and find what's left - Check that your picture matches the story

Drawing to Add

Story: 3 red apples are on the table. 4 green apples join them. How many apples in all? Draw 3 circles, then draw 4 more circles right next to them. Now count all the circles together: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. There are 7 apples in all!

Drawing to Take Away

Story: 8 ducks are swimming in a pond. 3 ducks swim away. How many ducks are left? Draw 8 ducks. Cross out 3 of them with an X. Now count only the ducks that are NOT crossed out: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. There are 5 ducks left!

Picture Problem Trick

Simple shapes work best! You don't need to draw a fancy duck, a circle, a dot, or a tally mark counts just as well and is much faster to draw.

Checking Your Picture Matches the Story

After you draw your picture, read the story again slowly. Count the shapes in your picture and make sure the number matches what the story says. If the story says 8 ducks and you only drew 7, add one more before you count the answer. Checking twice helps you catch mistakes before you finish.

Match each story clue word to what it tells you to do with your picture

Terms

in all / altogether

left / remain

join / more come

fly away / leave

Definitions

Draw the whole group, then cross some out

Draw both groups, then count everything together

Add more pictures to the group you already drew

Cross out pictures to show them leaving

Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.

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Sam draws 6 stars, then crosses out 2 of them. Which story matches his picture?

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Why is drawing simple circles or dots usually better than drawing detailed pictures for a picture problem?

🎯

Draw Your Own Picture Problem

Make up a story problem about your favorite animal, for example '7 frogs sat on a log, 3 hopped away.' Draw a picture that shows the story, then count your picture to find the answer. Write the answer as a number sentence, like 7 - 3 = 4, underneath your drawing.

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