Problem solving in math can be a little tricky, but if you know the steps to problem-solving, you’re already headed towards success.

One of the biggest struggles for students is reading and understanding the problem. What is it asking of me?

There are some basic steps to problem solving:

 1. Understand the problem

Highlighting the key words and question is important in this step. We also learned a strategy to use at the beginning of every problem: WIK & WINK. WIK stands for What I Know. WINK stands for What I Need to Know.   By taking the time to do this, it slows us down and helps us digest the problem, giving us a place to start. Often times, we know more than we think we do!

2. Plan

This is the place where we start to think “Have I solved a problem like this before?” Is this a multi-step problem? What strategy might I use to get me to the answer? (e.g., draw a picture, work backwards, use a number line, make a chart).

3. Solve

This is where you get to show your thinking and apply the plan. It’s a really important idea to number your steps so it’s easy to follow. Finally, finish with a sentence that links back to the question.

4. Check

It’s tempting to want to move on once you finish solving a problem. However, it’s always a good idea to look over your work and ensure you answered the question. Is it reasonable? Does it make sense? Is it clear how I solved it? If I solved it a different way, would I get the same answer?

We worked in groups today to solve a patterning problem. We did a gallery walk afterwards and got the chance to get a close-up look at what other groups did and how they attacked the problem. Class discussion and a chance to re-do the question independently will follow tomorrow.