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Math Mammoth Foundational Word Problems is a workbook intended for students in 3rd grade and above that need more practice with word problems. I especially aim to help students in 4th-7th grades who have trouble with word problems and who need to "go back to the beginning", so to speak, to learn to solve them.
The problems are generally based on a knowledge of third grade math, such as regrouping in addition and subtraction, the multiplication tables, concept of division, and calculating change. The problems do not require long multiplication, long division, or calculations with fractions or decimals (with the exception of money amounts).
The worksheets have examples and some instruction about common strategies for word problems. Students are often encouraged to write down the calculations they do. They are also encouraged to make a drawing or a sketch of the situation in the problem, to help them understand the situation and to see what math operation is involved.
Overall, most of the problems require two or more steps; however, some problem sets focus on differentiating what math operation should be used, and those only require a single step.
Several problem sets are designed to help students to master problems that involve equal-size groups. These questions either ask for the total (and are thus solved by multiplying), or they ask for the size of the group or for the quantity of the groups (one can write a missing number multiplication sentence, such as 3 × ___ = 18 or use division).
The book also includes word problems with fractions, with large numbers, with money, geometry word problems, and challenges in the form of puzzle corners.
You can download sample pages from this link: https://www.mathmammoth.com/word_problems/Foundational_Word_Problems_samples.pdf
About the author
Maria Miller was born and grew up in Finland where she also received a master's degree in mathematics in 1997. She loves math and teaching, so becoming a math teacher was a natural career for her.
Miller started writing math books in 2002, prompted by her experiences in tutoring homeschooled children. She felt the books they were using were inferior, especially when it came to conceptual understanding of mathematics, so she began to write books that focus on the concepts and the "why" of mathematics, though not forgetting the "how" and the needful practice.
Over the years, her materials have become popular and appreciated, both among parents and teachers.
In her free time, she likes walking, bicycling, swimming, reading, helping out with Inspire4.com, playing piano, and listening to music.
