Arithmetic patterns and problem solving: FAQ

In a one-step word problem, we only need to perform one operation (like addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) to find the answer. In a two-step word problem, we need to perform two operations

A $2$‍-step expression is a math problem that requires two steps to solve. For example, $3x+2x$‍ is a $2$‍-step expression. To solve it, we first add $3x$‍ and $2x$‍ together to get $5x$‍, and then we can solve for $x$‍.

In word problems, we can use estimation to help us check our work. For example, if we're trying to find out how many apples there are in $11$‍ bags, each with $6$‍ apples, we can estimate that there are about $60$‍ apples. If we calculate the exact answer and get $15$‍, we know we've made a mistake.

Patterns in arithmetic are sequences of numbers that follow a certain rule. For example, the sequence $2,4,6,8,10$‍ is a pattern in arithmetic because we're adding $2$‍ to each number to get the next one.

There are many ways we use arithmetic and problem solving in the real world! For example, we might use estimation to plan a budget, or we might use two-step word problems to figure out how much we need to save to buy something we want.