Today, I will solve “how many more?” comparing word problems where the difference is unknown.
Vocabulary
Teacher Resources
Compare Difference Unknown – How many more word problems: There are 6 brown horses. There are 5 white horses. How many more brown horses are there than white horses?
6-5=W Unknown Solve for the unknown:
6—5=1 W=1 This problem can also be solved as a missing addend problem.
Considerations: Students need to be exposed to many ways to represent the unknown (empty box, letters, and symbols). This type of word problem can be solved as a subtraction equation or a missing addend equation.
Steps: 1. Listen carefully to the numbers in the word problem. 2. Use the numbers to write an equation using a symbol or letter to represent the unknown. 3. Solve for the unknown.
Application of MPs: MP2: What math symbol can you use today? MP6: How do you know your answers are correct? MP7: What steps help you solve the problems?
/ *MP1: Make sense of the problem and persevere in solving it! *MP8: Find a strategy to help solve the problem. Directions: Use drawings and equations to solve for the unknown.
1. Gregory caught 5 baseballs. Dean caught 7 baseballs. How many more baseballs did Dean catch than Gregory? Drawings:
Equation
X= 2. Jade picked 9 flowers. Her sister picked 6 flowers. How many more flowers did Jade pick than her sister? Drawings:
*MP6: How do you know your answers are correct/reasonable?
Recap today’s lesson with one or more of the following MP questions: MP2: What math symbol did you use today? MP6: How did you know your answers were correct? MP7: What steps helped you solve the problems?