Now let us practice solving comparison word problems. For this activity, you will use index cards, pens, and a tape measure.
The idea is to write word problems that show the difference (answer) between the measurements of two things. You might write a word problem about the difference between your height and your brother's height. You could also write a problem about the difference between the table's length and the sofa's length.
Follow these directions:
Take out the tape measure and start measuring. Write down the measurements of the things you want to compare. Keep the measurements in inches. Now that you have measured, you can start writing your comparison problems. Write each comparison problem on an index card. Here is one example:
Ben is 75 inches tall. Sean is 86 inches tall. How much shorter is Ben than Sean?
You have finished writing your comparison problem. Now you can practice what you learned by answering the problems you wrote. You can also ask your friends to answer the word problems with you. Do you still remember the steps?
Let's use our sample word problem above:
First we write:
Then we replace:
Then we subtract,
Ben is 11 inches shorter than Sean.
Ready to move on to the next lesson?
Subtraction Word Comparison Problems
