Problem Solving Challenge

Challenge your mathematicians with this free problem solving challenge which contains ten word problems that will require a little extra thinking from your students.

These ten word problems have been created to challenge your students to apply skills they have learned in math to different situations.

This problem solving challenge can be used how it works best with your students. Some classes might be ready to have students complete the word problems on their own. Others might benefit from completing the problem solving challenge in pairs or small groups.

This set of problems does not focus on a single skill. Instead the variety allows students to review a range of skills previous learned.

Some of the problems provided require students to complete multiple steps while others require thinking that does not simply involve computation.

To Create You Problem Solving Challenge

1. Print your pages on card stock and laminate for durability
2. Cut apart the challenge cards
3. Copy recording pages for each individual, pair or small group

Tips for Instruction

While these are designed to provide a challenge, make sure you set your students up for success. Depending on the level of your students, you might choose to provide manipulatives or partner students needing support.

Some students might benefit from paper copies of some problems. This might be helpful on problems such as the one where students can fold up the patterns to make a box.

For other problems, it might be helpful for students to have counters of some sort that they can use to model problems.

You may choose to allow your students to use a calculator depending on the goals you have for this task.

You can download this free problem solving challenge here:
Problem Solving Set

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