two step problem solving addition and subtraction

JavaScript is not active on your browser. This webite requires JavaScript in order to function.

Two-step word problems, subtraction, then addition.

Solve word problems that require two separate operations

Two-step word problems have three numbers which must be operated on separately, and in the right order. They take much more understanding of the problem than simple word problems because they provide the information in a less structured form. For these problems, finding the answer involves subtracting one number from another, then adding another number to the difference.

High Impact Tutoring Built By Math Experts

Personalized standards-aligned one-on-one math tutoring for schools and districts

In order to access this I need to be confident with:

Two step word problems

Two-step word problems

Here you will learn about two-step word problems, including how to solve a two-step word problem, how to represent these problems using equations, and how to assess the reasonableness of answers.

Students will first learn about two-step word problems as part of operations and algebraic thinking in 3 rd grade and will continue using this skill throughout elementary and middle school.

What are two-step word problems?

Two-step word problems are word problems or story problems that require two steps to find the answer. These two steps can involve the same operation or two different operations.

To solve a two-step word problem, you must read the problem carefully before identifying each of the two steps. After identifying the two steps, you can write an equation for each step. Then you will need to solve each equation in order before arriving at the final answer.

For example,

Sarah had \$15. She spent \$8 on a new book. Then her mom gave her \$5. How much money does she have now?

We can break down the problem into steps and write an equation.

Sarah starts with \$15, so this is the starting number.

Then she spends \$8 on a new book. This means you need to subtract \$8. This is step one .

x represents the amount of money Sarah has after buying the book.

Next, Sarah receives \$5 from her mom. This needs to be added to the remaining amount from step one. This is step two .

t represents the total of money Sarah has after her mom gave her \$5 .

Sarah has \$12 now.

You can also write an equation showing both steps and use the order of operations rules to solve.

After solving the problem, you should ask yourself: Is my answer reasonable?

You can use quick mental math or estimation to see if your answer is reasonable.

You can round the \$8 to \$10 to make the estimation easier.

\$15-\$10 + \$5 = \$10, so Sarah has about \$10 left. This means the answer of \$12 is reasonable.

[FREE] Arithmetic Worksheet (Grade 4 to 6)

Use this quiz to check your grade 4 to 6 students’ understanding of arithmetic. 10+ questions with answers covering a range of 4th, 5th and 6th grade topics to identify areas of strength and support!

Common Core State Standards

How does this relate to 3 rd grade math and 4 th grade math?

• Grade 3 – Operations and Algebraic Thinking (3.OA.D.8) Solve two-step word problems using the four operations. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding.
• Grade 4 – Operations and Algebraic Thinking (4.OA.A.3) Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers using the four operations, including problems in which remainders must be interpreted. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding.

How to solve two-step word problems

In order to solve two-step word problems:

Identify the first step and write an equation.

Identify the second step and write an equation.

Solve the equations in order.

Assess the reasonableness of your answer.

Two-step word problems examples

Example 1: two-step addition (same operation).

Hannah bought 2 bags of candy for trick-or-treaters. One bag had 78 pieces of candy and the other had 92 pieces of candy. Hannah’s friend came over and dumped another bag of candy in the bowl. This bag had 124 pieces of candy. How many pieces of candy are in the bowl altogether?

First, you need to find out the total number of pieces Hannah dumped into the bowl from her two bags.

2 Identify the second step and write an equation.

Next, you need to add the total pieces that Hannah’s friend dumped into Hannah’s total from the previous step.

3 Solve the equations in order.

There are a total of 294 pieces of candy in the bowl.

4 Assess the reasonableness of your answer.

You can use mental math or estimation to see if your answer is reasonable.

You can quickly round each number to 100, which gives you a total of 300 pieces of candy. This is close to the actual answer of 294, so the answer is reasonable.

Example 2: two-step problem (different operation)

A teacher ordered 8 new boxes of pencils for her classroom. Each box of pencils had 16 pencils. She decided to combine all of the pencils, and then split them evenly between the 4 student tables in the room. How many pencils will each table get?

First, you need to find the total number of pencils in all the boxes.

8 \times 16=x

Next, you need to divide the total number of pencils by the number of tables.

Each table will get 32 pencils.

8 \times 20= about 160 total pencils divided by 4 tables = about 40 pencils on each table. So the answer of 32 is reasonable.

Example 3: solving two-step word problems with fractions

A cookie recipe calls for \cfrac{1}{2} cup of white sugar and \cfrac{3}{4} cup of brown sugar.

The baker is making 6 batches of cookies. What is the total amount of sugar (white and brown) that will be used?

First, you need to add the amounts of sugar to find the total amount of sugar needed for 1 batch.

\cfrac{1}{2}+\cfrac{3}{4}=x

Next, you need to multiply the total amount of sugar by the number of batches being made.

x \times 6=s

7 \cfrac{1}{2} total cups of sugar will be needed for 6 batches of cookies.

\cfrac{1}{2} and \cfrac{3}{4} is a little more than 1 cup.

Since there will be 6, the answer will be more than 6 cups.

Therefore, the answer of 7 \cfrac{1}{2} cups is reasonable.

Example 4: solving two-step word problems with decimals

Chris makes \$12.50 an hour at his job at the roller skating rink. He worked 25 hours. After he got his paycheck, he spent \$65 on a new pair of shoes. How much money does he have left from his paycheck?

First, you need to find out how much money Chris’s paycheck was by multiplying the hourly rate by the number of hours he worked.

12.50 \times 25=x

Next, you need to subtract \$65 from the total paycheck amount.

Chris has \$247.50 left from his paycheck.

To estimate the amount of Chris’s paycheck, you can multiply 12 by 25. You could also multiply 12 by 30, but note this will be a high estimate.

12 \times 25=300-65 = \$235 which makes \$247.50 a reasonable answer.

Example 5: interpreting remainders in two-step division word problem

Five 5 th grade classes each have 24 students and 2 teachers attending a field trip. Each bus can hold 48 people. How many buses are needed to carry all of the students and teachers to the field trip?

First, you need to find out how many students and teachers are attending the field trip altogether. To do this, you will need to multiply 5 \times 26.

5 \times 26=x

Next, you need to divide the total number of people by the number of people each bus can carry.

x \div 48=b

Now that you have identified the steps, you can solve the equations in order.

For this problem, you will need to refer back to the question in order to interpret the remainder. It asks: How many buses are needed to carry all of the students and teachers to the field trip?

So in this word problem, the answer 2 \; R \, 34 represents 2 full buses with 34 people leftover. Since those 34 people also need a bus to ride to the field trip, you would round up the answer to 3 so that all people can attend the field trip.

3 buses are needed to carry all of the students and teachers to the field trip.

There are about 125 people attending the field trip (about 25 people \times 5 classes) and about 50 people can fit on a bus. 125 \div 50=2.5, so the answer of 3 buses is reasonable.

Example 6: interpreting remainders in two-step division word problems

Haruki had 39 books. He got 7 more books for his birthday. His bookshelf has 4 shelves. He wants to put the same number of books on each shelf and put the remaining books on top of his bookshelf. How many books will go on top of Haruki’s bookshelf?

First, you need to determine how many books Haruki has altogether.

So step 1 is to add to find the total number of books.

Next, you will need to divide the total number of books by the number of shelves Haruki has.

For this problem, you will need to refer back to the question in order to interpret the remainder. It asks: How many books will go on top of Haruki’s bookshelf?

So in this word problem, the remainder is your answer.

2 books will go on top of Haruki’s bookshelf.

Haruki has about 45 books that he wants to divide equally between 4 shelves, which means there would be about 11 books on each shelf with about 1 left over. So the answer of 2 books is reasonable.

Teaching tips for two-step word problems

• Begin with simple 2 -step word problems on math worksheets that involve familiar situations and basic operations. Gradually increase the complexity as learners gain confidence and understanding.
• Lesson plans should involve step-by-step problem-solving strategies, such as underlining important information, identifying keywords, and breaking the problem into smaller parts. Model how to solve each step before tackling the problem as a whole.
• Connect math word problems to real-life scenarios that are relevant and interesting to students. This can help them see the practical application of math and reasoning skills and increase engagement on word problem worksheets.
• Provide students with a template if needed to help them break down the problem into steps. You can also provide students with a printable answer key to check their work. If their answers do not match, they can go back to investigate and find the correct steps.
• Start with simple two-step word problems with 1 -digit numbers to allow students to focus on identifying the two steps. Then advance to 2 -digit and 3 -digit problems.

Easy mistakes to make

• Incorrect order of operations Students might perform operations in the wrong order, leading to incorrect solutions. It is imperative that students write their equations correctly to ensure the operations are performed in the correct order.
• Not checking the solution Sometimes, students may not take the time to review their solution to ensure it makes sense in the context of the problem. Checking the answer against the problem statement or using estimation to verify reasonableness can help catch errors.
• Missing a step or performing the steps in the wrong order Sometimes, students may misinterpret the problem statement, causing them to miss a step or mix up the order of steps. It’s crucial to carefully read and understand what the problem is asking for before attempting to solve it.

Related arithmetic lessons

• Skip counting
• Number sense
• Inverse operations
• Money word problems
• Calculator skills

Practice two-step word problem questions

1. Frankie has \$287 in her checking account. She spent \$56 on her phone bill and then spent \$39 at dinner. How much money is left in her account?

This is a two-step subtraction word problem, meaning each of the two steps involves subtraction.

1 st step: Subtract the amount spent on the phone bill.

2 nd step: Subtract the amount spent at dinner from what is left after step 1.

2. Elliot has 145 marbles in his collection. He lost 18 marbles and then bought 27 more. How many marbles does he have now?

154 marbles

190 marbles

136 marbles

100 marbles

This two-step word problem involves two different operations.

1 st step: Subtract the number of marbles Elliot lost.

2 nd step: Add the number of marbles Elliot bought to the total remaining marbles from step 1.

127 + 27 = 154 marbles

3. Mrs. Smith baked 24 cookies in the morning and 18 cookies in the afternoon. If she wants to pack them into bags of 6 cookies each, how many bags of cookies will she have in total?

1 st step: Find the total number of cookies Mrs. Smith baked.

2 nd step: Divide the total number of cookies by the number of cookies per bag to find the total number of bags.

42 \div 6=7 bags

4. Sarah has 15 comic books. She decides to buy 5 more comic books at the store. Each comic book costs \$3.50. If she also buys a poster for \$8, how much money will Sarah spend in total?

This two-step word problem involves two different operations. Also note that there is an extra bit of unnecessary information in the word problem (Sarah has 15 comic books).

1 st step: Determine the total cost of the comic books Sarah buys.

2 nd step: Add the amount spent on the poster to the total from step 1.

5. Libby is selling boxes of cookies for a fundraiser at her school. So far, she has sold 29 boxes of cookies for \$12 each. If she has a goal of raising \$400, how much more money does she need to earn?

1 st step: Multiply to find the amount Libby earned from selling 29 boxes of cookies.

2 nd step: Determine how much more money Libby needs to earn to reach her goal by subtracting the total from step 1 from her goal amount.

6. Georgio has 128 complete fossils in his collection. He donated 19 fossils to a local museum. He wants to arrange the rest of his fossils in a display case in his house. The display case has 7 shelves. If he wants to put the same number of fossils on each shelf, how many will go on each shelf?

1 st step: Subtract to find the number of fossils remaining after donating to the museum.

2 nd step: Determine how many fossils Georgio can put on each shelf by dividing the remaining fossils by the number of shelves.

Two-step word problems FAQs

To solve a two-step word problem, you must read the problem carefully before identifying each of the two steps. After identifying the two steps, you can write an equation. Then you will need to perform each step in the correct order before arriving at the final answer.

The next lessons are

• Properties of equality
• Types of numbers
• Rounding numbers
• Factors and multiples

Still stuck?

At Third Space Learning, we specialize in helping teachers and school leaders to provide personalized math support for more of their students through high-quality, online one-on-one math tutoring delivered by subject experts.

Each week, our tutors support thousands of students who are at risk of not meeting their grade-level expectations, and help accelerate their progress and boost their confidence.

Find out how we can help your students achieve success with our math tutoring programs .

[FREE] Common Core Practice Tests (3rd to 8th Grade)

Prepare for math tests in your state with these 3rd Grade to 8th Grade practice assessments for Common Core and state equivalents.

Get your 6 multiple choice practice tests with detailed answers to support test prep, created by US math teachers for US math teachers!

Privacy Overview

• Home   |  
• About   |  
• Contact Us   |  
• Privacy   |  
• Newsletter   |  
• Shop   |  
• 🔍 Search Site
• Christmas Worksheets
• Kindergarten
• All Generated Sheets
• Place Value Generated Sheets
• Addition Generated Sheets
• Subtraction Generated Sheets
• Multiplication Generated Sheets
• Division Generated Sheets
• Money Generated Sheets
• Negative Numbers Generated Sheets
• Fraction Generated Sheets
• Place Value Zones
• Number Bonds
• Addition & Subtraction
• Times Tables
• Fraction & Percent Zones
• All Calculators
• Fraction Calculators
• Percent calculators
• Area & Volume Calculators
• Age Calculator
• Height Calculator
• Roman Numeral Calculator
• Coloring Pages
• Fun Math Sheets
• Math Puzzles
• Mental Math Sheets
• Online Times Tables
• Online Addition & Subtraction
• Math Grab Packs
• All Math Quizzes
• Kindergarten Math Quizzes
• 1st Grade Quizzes
• 2nd Grade Quizzes
• 3rd Grade Quizzes
• 4th Grade Quizzes
• 5th Grade Quizzes
• 6th Grade Math Quizzes
• Place Value
• Rounding Numbers
• Comparing Numbers
• Number Lines
• Prime Numbers
• Negative Numbers
• Roman Numerals
• Subtraction
• Add & Subtract
• Multiplication
• Fraction Worksheets
• Learning Fractions
• Fraction Printables
• Percent Worksheets & Help
• All Geometry
• 2d Shapes Worksheets
• 3d Shapes Worksheets
• Shape Properties
• Geometry Cheat Sheets
• Printable Shapes
• Coordinates
• Measurement
• Math Conversion
• Statistics Worksheets
• Bar Graph Worksheets
• Venn Diagrams
• All Word Problems
• Finding all possibilities
• Logic Problems
• Ratio Word Problems
• All UK Maths Sheets
• Year 1 Maths Worksheets
• Year 2 Maths Worksheets
• Year 3 Maths Worksheets
• Year 4 Maths Worksheets
• Year 5 Maths Worksheets
• Year 6 Maths Worksheets
• All AU Maths Sheets
• Kindergarten Maths Australia
• Year 1 Maths Australia
• Year 2 Maths Australia
• Year 3 Maths Australia
• Year 4 Maths Australia
• Year 5 Maths Australia
• Meet the Sallies
• Certificates

2nd Grade Addition and Subtraction

Word problems up to 100.

Welcome to our 2nd Grade Addition and Subtraction Word Problems page. Here is our selection of free printable subtraction word problem worksheets, which will help your child practice solving a range of addition and subtraction problems using numbers up to 100.

Want to test yourself to see how well you have understood this skill?.

• Try our NEW quick quiz at the bottom of this page.

For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript.

Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser .

Quicklinks to ...

• Addition & Subtraction Word Problems within 100
• 2-Step Addition & Subtraction Word Problems within 100
• Easier/Harder Addition & Subtraction Worksheets
• More related resources
• Addition & Subtraction Word Problems up to 100 Online Quiz

Each sheet consists of a range of 5 or 6 addition and subtraction word problems with numbers up to 100.

There is a space on each sheet for working out, so that your child can write out the problem and solve it.

We have split the worksheets up into word problems with and without regrouping.

Using these sheets will help your child to:

• add and subtract numbers up to 100;
• solve addition and subtraction word problems with and without regrouping.
• recognise the language used in addition and subtraction - sum, total, difference, how many more, etc.

2nd Grade Addition and Subtraction Word Problems

There are two versions of each sheet.

The first version (version A) contains problems where no regrouping is needed.

The second version (version B) contains similar problems but regrouping is needed to solve them.

Sheets 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B involve straightforward word problems with one number to subtract from another.

Sheets 4A, 4B, 5A and 5B have 2-step addition and subtraction problems where two steps are needed to solve the problem.

Answers have been provided with each sheet, along with the calculation needed to solve the problem.

Addition and Subtraction Word Problems within 100

The following sheets are all 1-step addition or subtraction word problems.

• Addition Subtraction Word Problems up to 100 Sheet 1A (no regrouping)
• PDF version
• Addition Subtraction Word Problems up to 100 Sheet 1B (no regrouping)
• Addition Subtraction Word Problems up to 100 Sheet 2A (no regrouping)
• Addition Subtraction Word Problems up to 100 Sheet 2B (no regrouping)
• Addition Subtraction Word Problems up to 100 Sheet 3A (no regrouping)
• Addition Subtraction Word Problems up to 100 Sheet 3B

Harder 2-Step Addition and Subtraction Word Problems within 100

These problems are trickier than those above.

Each problem involved two steps to solve, and may involve just addition, just subtraction or both operators.

• Addition Subtraction Word Problems up to 100 Sheet 4A (no regrouping)
• Addition Subtraction Word Problems up to 100 Sheet 4B
• Addition Subtraction Word Problems up to 100 Sheet 5A (no regrouping)
• Addition Subtraction Word Problems up to 100 Sheet 5B (no regrouping)

Looking for some easier worksheets?

Take a look at our Subtraction word problems for first graders.

On this page, your child will learn to work out basic subtraction word problems with numbers to 20.

• 1st Grade Addition and Subtraction Problems

Looking for some harder worksheets?

We have a range of 3-digit subtraction worksheets set out in columns.

• 3rd Grade Addition and Subtraction Word Problems (3- and 4-digits)
• 3 Digit Column Addition
• 3 Digit Subtraction Worksheets

More Recommended Math Worksheets

Take a look at some more of our worksheets similar to these.

More 2nd Grade Addition and Subtraction Worksheets

Here you will find some more of our Addition and Subtraction Worksheet generators for creating your own bespoke addition and subtraction worksheets.

• Add and Subtract Within 20 Worksheets
• 3 Digit Addition and Subtraction Worksheets
• Addition Subtraction Fact Worksheets (randomly generated)
• Column Addition and Subtraction Worksheets (randomly generated)

More 2nd Grade Math Word Problems

Here are a range of problems solving sheets for 2nd graders. Most of the sheets contain 'real-life' problems related to animal facts.

Using the sheets will help your child to:

• apply their addition, subtraction, and multiplication skills;
• apply their knowledge of rounding and place value;
• solve a range of 'real life' problems.

These sheets involve solving one or two more challenging longer problems. This link opens in a new tab.

• Second Grade Math Problems

These sheets involve solving many 'real-life' problems involving data.

• 2nd Grade Math Word Problems

These sheets involve solving a range of addition word problems within 100.

• Addition Word Problems 2nd grade
• Subtraction Word Problems 2nd grade

The link below will open our 2nd-grade-math-salamanders website in a new browser window.

• More Addition Subtraction Word Problems at 2nd-grade-math-salamanders.com

These sheets involve solving a range of multiplication problems.

• Multiplication Word Problems 2nd Grade

Addition and Subtraction Word Problems to 100 Online Quiz

Our quizzes have been created using Google Forms.

At the end of the quiz, you will get the chance to see your results by clicking 'See Score'.

This will take you to a new webpage where your results will be shown. You can print a copy of your results from this page, either as a pdf or as a paper copy.

For incorrect responses, we have added some helpful learning points to explain which answer was correct and why.

We do not collect any personal data from our quizzes, except in the 'First Name' and 'Group/Class' fields which are both optional and only used for teachers to identify students within their educational setting.

We also collect the results from the quizzes which we use to help us to develop our resources and give us insight into future resources to create.

For more information on the information we collect, please take a look at our Privacy Policy

We would be grateful for any feedback on our quizzes, please let us know using our Contact Us link, or use the Facebook Comments form at the bottom of the page.

This quick quiz tests your knowledge and skill at solving addition and subtraction word problems within 100.

How to Print or Save these sheets 🖶

Need help with printing or saving? Follow these 3 steps to get your worksheets printed perfectly!

• How to Print support

Subscribe to Math Salamanders News

Sign up for our newsletter to get free math support delivered to your inbox each month. Plus, get a seasonal math grab pack included for free!

• Newsletter Signup

Return to Second Grade Math Worksheets hub

Return to Addition Worksheets hub

Return to Subtraction Worksheets hub

Return from 2nd Grade Addition and Subtraction to Math Salamanders Home Page

Math-Salamanders.com

The Math Salamanders hope you enjoy using these free printable Math worksheets and all our other Math games and resources.

We welcome any comments about our site or worksheets on the Facebook comments box at the bottom of every page.

New! Comments

TOP OF PAGE

© 2010-2024 Math Salamanders Limited. All Rights Reserved.

• Privacy Policy
• Copyright Policy

Home / United States / Math Classes / 4th Grade Math / Two-step Addition and Subtraction

Two-step Addition and Subtraction

Some real-life problems related to math cannot be solved in a single step. In such cases, we break down the questions us ing different strategies and find out the solution. Learn how to solve such real-life math problems related to addition and subtraction. ...Read More Read Less

Table of Contents

Solving Word problems

Solved examples.

• Frequently Asked Questions

Solving problems related to addition and subtraction is made easier by observing aspects of a problem. For this, you need to consider the following questions .

What is given?

       First, we need to identify the data that has been provided.

What to find out?

       Then, we need to figure out what we need to calculate.

• How do we find out?

       Finally, we need to analyze which method of operation has to be carried out with the given values so that we can arrive at the required answer.

For example:

Liam has 1000 books in his library. If he bought 500 more and gave away 300 books, how many books does he have in his library now?

Understand the problem

• Liam has 1000 books.
• He bought 500 more.
• He gave away 300 books.
• How many books does Liam have now?

How will you solve it?

• Add 1000 and 500 to find out how many books Liam has.
• Then subtract 300 from the sum to find out how many books Liam has now.

Let k be the initial number of books.

k = 1000 + 500  

Step 2 : Let n be the unknown difference after Liam gave away 300 books.

\( n-k=300 \)

\(\Rightarrow n~=~1500-300 \)

\(\therefore n~=~1200 \)

So, Liam has a total of 1200 books in his library.

Harry has 10 pencils. He bought 5 more pencils.

If he has used 2 pencils, how many pencils are left with him?

Initially, Liam had 10 pencils, and later he bought 5 more.

Liam has 10 + 5 = 15 pencils.

Since Liam has used 2 pencils.

The number of pencils he still has is, 

= 15 – 2  

Leah and Jay decide to play a game. They need to fill a huge container each with as many items as possible so that one container weighs more than the other. The container that weighs the most wins. It is known that Leah’s container weighs 542 pounds, and both containers weigh 1276 pounds together. By what difference does the winner win?

Let the weight of Jay’s container be x pounds.

Since both containers weigh 1276 pounds, the weight of Jay’s container can be given as,

\(x=1276-542\)  

\(x~=~734 \)

734 > 542. 

734 – 542  

Hence, Jay wins the contest by 192 pounds.

A construction company uses 200 fewer rods in constructing building A than building B. There were 624 rods used in building B and 721 rods were used in constructing C. How many rods does the company use to construct building A? Also, find the total number of rods that were used for all three buildings.

Step 1 : How many rods are used in building A ?

Let \(x\) be the number of rods used in building A

\(x~=~624-200\)

\(x~=~424\)

Step 2: Find the total number of rods used in all three buildings.

Let \(y\) be the total number of rods used in the three buildings.

\(y~=~x+624+721\)

\(y~=~424+624+721\)

\(\therefore y~=~1769\)

So, the total number of rods used in all three buildings is 1769.

What is two-step addition or subtraction?

As the name suggests, two-step addition or subtraction involves two steps. In each step, one equation is solved. After the second step, we arrive at the final answer. 

How do addition and subtraction of the same number undo each other?

Let us understand this with the help of an example. Say you have 10 balloons, to which you add 3 more. Now you have 10 + 3, which is 13 balloons. If you burst 3 of them, you will be left with 13 – 3 = 10 balloons, which is the number of balloons we started off with. Hence, the addition and subtraction of the same numbers keeps the initial number the same. 

Check out our other courses

Grades 1 - 12

Level 1 - 10

Two Step Word Problems: How to Best Teach Them With Addition and Subtraction Equations

by | | 2nd Grade Math , Uncategorized

When I come across two step word problems, I ask my students, “Anyone notice anything special about this problem?” Then they answer back saying, “It’s not a one step problem… It’s a two step word problem!”

Two step word problems can be tricky for students at any age. It involves reasoning where students need to figure out if they should add or subtract. There are more numbers involved so they can’t just guess. But after teaching 2nd grade for years, I’ve learned what I can do to support students with two step word problems. Soon they aren’t tricky anymore. Students can always know when they should add and subtract to solve the problems.

Here’s my approach for teaching two step word problems.

So today, I thought it would be super helpful to share my approach for teaching two step word problems, including what is a two step word problem, two step word problem examples, and the helpful two step word problems worksheets I have my students use.

If you’re a parent who has a child struggling with math, you’ve got to check out Learner. Learner is an online tutoring platform that sets students up for success. To get started take a short quiz about your child’s needs. Then Learner’s Success Management Team reviews that and matches your child with the perfect tutor. Get your $25 trial here.

So, let’s get started with what a two step word problem is.

What is a Two Step Word Problem

What is a two step word problem? It is a word problem where you need to use two operations to solve.

For 2nd grade, they are working with addition and subtraction. So these word problems could have them add and then subtract. They could have them subtract then add. These problems can even have them add and then add or subtract and then subtract.

Two step word problems fall underneath the common core state standard of 2.OA.A.1. This standard wants 2nd grade students to solve both one and two step word problems within 100. These problems can deal with putting together, taking apart, and comparing. They want students to use drawings, symbols, or diagrams to help them solve.

The “OA” in that standard title stands for “Operations & Algebraic Thinking.” I had my husband help me out by making some answer keys to the two step word problems worksheets I use in my class. While he was making those he told me, “Wow, this is like algebra.” I said to him that he was exactly right and that there was a whole list of algebraic thinking standards that 2nd grade students learn.

Two Step Word Problem Examples

Now that we know what a two step word problem is, let’s look at some two step word problem examples that 2nd grade students would see.

After teaching these word problems for years and years, I’ve noticed that there are 2 main types of two step word problems: story structure where you can know to add or subtract based on the sequence, and part-part-whole structure where you reason through and put numbers in a part-part-whole diagram to know if you should add or subtract.

Let’s look at examples of both of these types.

Story Structure:

“Ella has 9 pencils. She gives 4 pencils to her classmates. Then, her teacher gives her 3 more pencils. How many pencils does Ella have now?”

What is a two step word problem? It is just a word problem where you use two equations to solve.

To solve this one, we can just use the sequence of the story. How many pencils does Ella start with? 9. She gives away 4 pencils. If she is giving them away, is Ella getting more or less pencils? She is getting less so we subtract 4. That means our first equation is 9-4=5. Right now in the story she has 5 pencils. Then it says her teacher gives her 3 more pencils. If her teacher is giving her 3 more pencils, is Ella getting more pencils or less? She is getting more so we add for our 2nd equation. 5+3=8. How many pencils does Ella have now? She has 8 pencils. 

Part-Part-Whole Structure:  

“Sophia has 13 stamps. Emma has 34 more stamps than Sophia. How many stamps do they have together?”

The first part of this word problem uses comparison. It says Emma has 34 more stamps than Sophia. Emma doesn’t have 34 stamps. She has 34 MORE than Sophia. We do know that Sophia has 13 stamps. We can use a part-part-whole diagram to know if we should add or subtract.

These two step word problem examples show the part-part-whole structure of these kinds of problems.

To do that, we first think about who has more. Does Sophia or Emma have more? Emma does. So she gets the long line of the “whole” in the part-part-whole diagram. Sophia has less so she gets a short line of a “part.” I like to label these with their initials. I put an “S” above the “whole.” and I put an “E” under a part.

Then we read the problem again and fill in the numbers. It says Sophia has 13 stamps. So we put 13 in Sophia’s “part.” The problem says that Emma has 34 more stamps than Sophia. Since that is not Emma’s number we put 34 in the other “part.”

In the diagram, we have 2 parts but not the whole. So we add. 13+34=57. That is how many stamps Emma has.

Then the next part of the problem asks how many stamps they have together. If we use another part-part-whole diagram, we don’t know how many they have together yet, so we don’t know the “whole.” That means we add the 2 parts, or add the number of Emma’s stamps and Sophia’s stamps. 13+57=70. They have 70 stamps together.

There is another part-part-whole structure of two step word problems that I like to show students. But this one is really a part-part-part-whole. Yes, you heard me right. The problems have 3 parts or 3 categories! Once we have the numbers filled in we can combine two of the parts to make it into a regular part-part-whole.

Let’s look at this structure with an example.

“Peter wants to collect 80 buttons. He finds 20 buttons at home. His grandparents give him 45 buttons. How many more buttons does Peter need?”

The three categories in this word problem are the buttons at home, the buttons his grandparents give him, and how many more Peter needs to get to his goal of 80. We put 80 in the whole, 20 in a part, 45 in another part, and a question mark in the last part.

Then we combine the two parts that we know. That means our first equation is 20+45=65. I like to put that 65 underneath those 2 parts to show that we combined that. Now we have a regular part-part-whole. We have the whole and a part, but not the other part, so we subtract. 80-65=15. Peter needs 15 more buttons.

Now that we know the different structures of two step word problems, let me share with you exactly how I teach these to my 2nd grade students.

But before we get into that, it’s important to note that students do best with two step word problems when they have already worked with one step word problems. Read my blog post about teaching these word problems here: 3 Math Word Problem Solving Strategies to Help Students Be Successful

How to Teach Two Step Word Problems

The best thing you can do when teaching two step word problems is to teach the 2 main structures that I mentioned before. We want students to be on the lookout for what kind of problems they are working on.

I use display pages to do this. I project these up on our whiteboard and use them as slides. They give me examples of each kind. I model solving a few and then have students help me.

These display pages make it easy to teach two step word problems.

The display pages guide me on what to do and what to say. They make teaching two step word problems so easy! 

I like to first introduce story structure problems because these problems have easier reasoning for students to work through. I give them a two step word problems worksheet. We do the first one on the page together. Then students complete the rest as I walk around helping students. I take note of common mistakes. Then I call students’ attention back. I go over those mistakes and have students fix their work.

I give them another worksheet that they complete by themselves. I wait over at our classroom table. When students finish their worksheet, they line up by me. I look over their work and help them fix any mistakes. When their work looks good, I draw a big check mark on their page with a smelly marker. It’s like a little reward for finishing because students love to see what the day’s scent is. Students then put their page in their Take Home Folder.

After that I like to give students even more practice with these kinds of word problems. I have them work with a partner to complete a scoot activity. This is where I have task cards taped up around my classroom. These have two step word problems on them. Students have a recording sheet and go around with their partner solving the problems. I like to have students work with a partner because they can support each other.

Help students get the practice they need with two step word problems with these task cards.

Once students complete this scoot activity, I have them check their work with an answer key I have set out. They use a red pen to fix their mistakes and then they can put their page in their Take Home Folder. I like to do this because students get immediate feedback. Parents also get to see how their child understood the lesson from the day without any extra work on my end.

Then to get students some fun hands-on practice, I have them complete a puzzle activity with that same partner. These are sheets of paper with two step word problems and students have to line up the equations that solve the problems. I love these because it gets students focusing on the reasoning they need to solve rather than focusing on the numbers.

These puzzles are a fun way for students to practice two step word problems.

When students finish these, they raise their hands. I come over and do a quick check over their work. Then they mix up the pieces, stack them up, and they are ready for the next set of students.

And finally, I want to know exactly where students are at with solving these kinds of two step word problems, so I have them complete an exit ticket. This has students rate themselves on how they think they understood the lesson. Then it has them solve a couple problems. I check these after school and take note of students who could use a little extra practice after school.

The next day I have a similar lesson on two step word problems. But this time we focus on part-part-whole structured problems. I still use display pages, worksheets, a scoot activity, and a puzzle activity.

The day after that, I do a lesson with the same set up, but now students work on problems with a mix of both structures.

I have a resource that has all the materials I use for teaching two-step word problems. Find it here.

This resource has 6 different sets of materials. It breaks apart the different structures so that you can have the lessons I mentioned above. There are even sets using numbers 1-20 and sets using numbers 1-100. That way when you take note of what students need a little extra practice, you can have them work on problems with easier numbers. This helps them focus on the reasoning involved rather than the numbers involved.

Find all of these materials here.

Two Step Word Problems Worksheets

When I do see that students need a little extra help, I like to use scaffolded worksheets. The part-part-whole word problems are more difficult for students. To help students, I use worksheets that label the different parts of the diagram. This helps students reason through the word problem and plug in numbers where they need to go.

Once students do well with those, I move them onto two step word problem worksheets that still have the part-part-whole diagram but they are not labeled. Students can label these to help them reason through the problem.

These two step word problems worksheets provide students the support they need when mastering these types of word problems.

After that, I have students do a worksheet where it’s just the problem. They have to draw the diagram and fill in the numbers to solve.

Can you see how these worksheets take away support one step at a time? By having students do these, even the students who struggle can find success. Find these two step word problem worksheets here.

I hope this blog post has brought clarity on what is a two step word problem and how to teach them. For me, it all comes down to teaching students the 2 main types and giving them scaffolded practice.

Find my one-step word problems resource here. I have a measurement word problem resource. Find it here. You  can find my dollar bills word problems here.

Did you receive your free gift yet?

Download my guide for teaching 2-digit addition & subtraction strategies, grab your copy here.

Math Worksheets Land

Math Worksheets For All Ages

• Math Topics
• Grade Levels

One and Two Step Addition and Subtraction Word Problem Worksheets

How to Approach Two-Step Addition and Subtraction Word Problems - Word problems often seem difficult to solve, especially the ones that involve multiple steps. Take one example; for instance: Jack has 28 lollipops. Jill has 12 fewer. How much do they have altogether? One way to think about this problem is to visualize and then draw. The common mistake that most students make is when they do not use these two methods at each step. Another way to approach this method is first to read the question multiple times. It is a highly effective way of getting a better understanding of the problem. In this question, there are two important statements, one dictates the number of lollipops Jack has, and the others tell us how many lollipops Jill has compared to Jack. The second step in this approach is identifying who is involved in the process. We understand that in the question, there are two parties involved Jack and Jill. It can help arrange data based on their individual variables, such as: Jack: 28 lollipops | Jill: 28 – 12 lollipops (Fewer means subtract). The third and last step is the same as the previous approach, i.e., to draw the problem. These worksheets add an extra dimension to students when working with word problems.

Aligned Standard: Grade 2 Operations - 2.OA.1

• Add and Subtract within 100 Word Problem Step-by-step Lesson - You start off with a 2-part word problems were you are looking for a missing addend in word form.
• Guided Lesson - Fun word problem scenarios that included soccer balls, candy, and students on a bus.
• Guided Lesson Explanation - The explanation is plotted out for you visually to make sure students can transition well into the skills. For subtraction we will cross out values. For addition it is helpful to write values in rows and columns.
• 5 Pack of Practice Sheets - Practice match the pictures to the operations that are noted on the sheet.
• Practice Worksheet - 10 practice word problems with plenty of space to work them out with.
• Matching Problems to Answers Worksheet - Match the word problems to their answers. A unique way to look at it.
• Answer Keys - These are for all the unlocked materials above.

Homework Sheets

You will find some wordy questions here that make for some excellent practice.

• Homework 1 - David has 12 pieces of candy. He gave away 4 pieces of the candy. How much candy does he have now?
• Homework 2 - Joe wants to collect 75 autographed baseball pictures. He has 32 so far. How many more does he need?
• Homework 3 - Mrs. Ross has 34 children in her class. There are 6 children absent today. How many are in the class?

Practice Worksheets

Remind students to take their time with these. There may be a few twists, if you misread anything.

• Practice 1 - Mike wants to collect 100 baseball cards. He has 78 already. How many more does he need?
• Practice 2 -Chris has to set up 85 chairs for the meeting. She has set up 64 so far. How many more chairs does she have to set up?
• Practice 3 - Dean practiced for the spelling bee. He practiced 42 words the first day and 36 words the second. How many words did he practice?

Math Skill Quizzes

We followed the two sentence format that we have seen on countless core assessments.

• Quiz 1 - Mary practiced her dance in dance class 5 times. She also practiced her dance 8 times at home. How many times did she practice the dance?
• Quiz 2 - The children went to the zoo to see the animals. They saw 6 monkeys and 11 zebras. How many animals did they see?
• Quiz 3 - Megan made 36 cookies. She gave 16 of them away. How many are left?

How Do You Decide What Operations Are Needed For a Word Problem?

For this series of worksheets and lesson we focus our attention on addition and subtraction, so we will center our discussion on those two operations.When you are reading a word problem your goal should be to break down the words or phrases used to indicate what is operationally taking place.There are many different words that can be used to determine this.When a problem is leading you to find the value of a sum it will often have one of the following words or phrases: add, all, altogether, both, total, increase, and whole.When you see any of those words or phrases, you can rest assured that you will be adding two or more numbers together.There are also a series of words and phrases that signify that you will be looking for a difference between two or more values. Those words and phrases include: change, decrease, fewer, give away, take away, how many less/more, how much longer/shorter, less, and remain. If you get in the habit of dissecting these word problems finding the solution will be easier for to find addition and subtraction operations quickly. This will help you master this skill.It does require you to put in the work with dozens of problems to get to that level.

One Step Addition Word Problem Example

Bob collects plastic bottles to recycle. He went to the local town park and found 16 plastic bottles. His friend Jason gave him 12 bottles that he found as well. How many plastic bottles does Bob have in total?

When solving word problems, we always look for keywords to tell us which operations we should use to solve it. In this case, the terms "in total" are the words we are looking for. This means we are going to use addition to find the sum. We know Bob has 16 bottles and then receives another 12 bottles. The sum would be 16 bottles + 12 bottles = 28 bottles. So, Bob has a total of 28 bottles.

One Step Subtraction Word Problem Example

Candice has an aquarium and needs to clean the tank. When she cleans the tank, she must take all the fish out and put them in a fishbowl. She has 27 fish. If 15 fish are already in the fishbowl, how many more fish does she need to remove from her aquarium before cleaning it?

The words "how many more" indicates that we need to find a difference (subtract). In this case, we are looking for the difference in the total number of fish and the fish already in the bowl. She has 27 fish and 15 were removed and placed in the fishbowl. So, the remaining fish would be equal to: 27 - 15 = 12. She needs to remove 12 more fish.

Two Step Combined Operations Example

Billy and Ava are responsible for picking up all the tennis balls left on the tennis courts. There were 18 tennis balls on the first court and 36 tennis balls on the second court. Ava was able to collect 25 tennis balls and left the rest for Billy to collect. How many balls are left for Billy to collect?

This problem has several aspects. We first need to determine the total number of tennis balls on the court. This would be the total number of balls on the first (18) and second (36) courts. The total number of tennis balls would equal 18 + 36 = 54. We now know that there is a total of 54 tennis balls. We need to determine how many are left for Billy. If there were 54 tennis balls and Ava collected 25, the remaining number of balls for Billy would be equal to: 54 - 25 = 29 balls. So, the remaining number of balls for Billy to collect is 29.

Get Access to Answers, Tests, and Worksheets

Become a paid member and get:

• Answer keys to everything
• Unlimited access - All Grades
• 64,000 printable Common Core worksheets, quizzes, and tests
• Used by 1000s of teachers!

Worksheets By Email:

Get Our Free Email Now!

We send out a monthly email of all our new free worksheets. Just tell us your email above. We hate spam! We will never sell or rent your email.

Thanks and Don't Forget To Tell Your Friends!

I would appreciate everyone letting me know if you find any errors. I'm getting a little older these days and my eyes are going. Please contact me, to let me know. I'll fix it ASAP.

• Privacy Policy
• Other Education Resource

© MathWorksheetsLand.com, All Rights Reserved