Math word problems worksheet for elementary students.

Let’s solve each word problem one by one with clear explanations.

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Problem 1:
> Your brother traveled 117 miles in 2.25 hours to come home for school break. What’s the average speed that he was traveling? 52 mph

✔ Solution:
Average speed = Total distance ÷ Total time
= 117 miles ÷ 2.25 hours

To divide:
2.25 = 9/4, so 117 ÷ (9/4) = 117 × (4/9) = (117 × 4) / 9
117 ÷ 9 = 13 → 13 × 4 = 52 mph

✔️ Answer: 52 mph

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Problem 2:
> You have 15 yards of ribbon for your gift boxes. Each box gets the same amount of ribbon. How much ribbon will each of your 20 gift boxes get? .75 yards

✔ Solution:
Total ribbon = 15 yards
Number of boxes = 20
Ribbon per box = 15 ÷ 20 = 3/4 = 0.75 yards

✔️ Answer: 0.75 yards

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Problem 3:
> Sam gave Jen 1/2 of his jujubes. Jen ate 1/2 of the jujubes and gave the rest to Kyle. Kyle kept 8 of the jujubes and gave the last 10 to Kim. How many jujubes did Jen eat? 18

✔ Solution:
Let’s work backwards.

Kyle got the “rest” after Jen ate half — meaning Kyle got 1/2 of what Jen received.

Kyle kept 8 and gave 10 to Kim → total Kyle had = 8 + 10 = 18 jujubes

Since Kyle got 1/2 of what Jen received, then Jen must have received 36 jujubes (because 18 is half of 36).

Jen ate 1/2 of what she received → 1/2 × 36 = 18 jujubes

✔️ Answer: 18

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Problem 4:
> You finally got an allowance! You put $2 away in January, $4 away in February, $8 away in March, $16 away in April and followed this savings pattern through December. How much money do you have in 12 months? $8096

✔ Solution:
This is a geometric sequence:
- Jan: $2 = 2¹
- Feb: $4 = 2²
- Mar: $8 = 2³
- Apr: $16 = 2⁴
- ...
- Dec: 2¹²

We need the sum from n=1 to n=12 of 2ⁿ.

Sum of geometric series:
S = a(rⁿ - 1)/(r - 1), where a = first term = 2, r = 2, n = 12

S = 2(2¹² - 1)/(2 - 1) = 2(4096 - 1) = 2 × 4095 = 8190

Wait — but the answer given is $8096, which doesn’t match.

Let’s check:
Maybe they started counting from January as 2⁰?

Jan: 2⁰ = 1 → but problem says $2 in January.

Alternatively, perhaps it’s 2¹ to 2¹² → sum = 2 + 4 + 8 + ... + 4096

That’s a geometric series starting at 2, ratio 2, 12 terms.

Sum = 2(2¹² - 1)/(2 - 1) = 2×4095 = 8190

But the image says $8096

Wait — 8096 = 8192 - 96? Not helpful.

Actually, 2¹² = 4096
Sum from 2¹ to 2¹² = 2(2¹² - 1) = 8190

But maybe the problem meant January = 2⁰ = $1, but it says $2.

Alternatively, perhaps they miscounted? Or maybe the answer is wrong?

Wait — let’s compute manually:

Jan: 2
Feb: 4 → total 6
Mar: 8 → 14
Apr: 16 → 30
May: 32 → 62
Jun: 64 → 126
Jul: 128 → 254
Aug: 256 → 510
Sep: 512 → 1022
Oct: 1024 → 2046
Nov: 2048 → 4094
Dec: 4096 → 8190

✔ So correct total is $8190

But the image says $8096 — likely a typo or error in the key.

However, since the problem asks us to explain the solution based on the image, and the image says $8096, we should note the discrepancy.

But mathematically, it’s $8190.

Unless... did they mean through November? Let’s check:

Up to Nov (11 months): Sum from 2¹ to 2¹¹ = 2(2¹¹ - 1) = 2(2048 - 1) = 2×2047 = 4094 — not 8096.

Wait — 8096 = 2¹³ - 2⁷? 8192 - 128 = 8064 — no.

Actually, 8096 = 2⁵ × 11 × 23 — not helpful.

Perhaps the problem meant starting at $1 in January?

Jan: 1 = 2⁰
Feb: 2 = 2¹
...
Dec: 2¹¹ = 2048

Sum from n=0 to 11 of 2ⁿ = 2¹² - 1 = 4096 - 1 = 4095 — still not 8096.

Another possibility: Maybe it's doubling every month starting at $2, but only for 11 months? No.

Wait — 8096 = 8192 - 96 — 8192 is 2¹³.

I think there’s a mistake in the provided answer. The correct mathematical answer is $8190.

But since the image says $8096, perhaps it’s a typo, and we should report the correct value.

For accuracy, I’ll say:

✔️ Correct Answer: $8190
*(The image’s answer of $8096 appears to be incorrect.)*

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Problem 5:
> It takes 6 cubes to build a staircase with 3 steps. How many cubes will be needed for 11 steps? 66

✔ Solution:
Let’s visualize:

- 1 step: 1 cube
- 2 steps: 1 + 2 = 3 cubes
- 3 steps: 1 + 2 + 3 = 6 cubes ✔ matches

So for n steps, cubes needed = 1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n = n(n+1)/2

For 11 steps: 11×12/2 = 132/2 = 66

✔️ Answer: 66

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Problem 6:
> Jeff has 1/2 pizza left in the fridge. At breakfast he ate 1/3 of it. What fraction of the original pizza does he have left for lunch? 1/3 or 2/6

✔ Solution:
He starts with 1/2 pizza.

He eats 1/3 of that half → so he eats (1/3) × (1/2) = 1/6 of the original pizza.

Leftover = original half minus what he ate = 1/2 - 1/6

LCM = 6 → 3/6 - 1/6 = 2/6 = 1/3

✔️ Answer: 1/3 or 2/6 (both are equivalent)

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## ✔ Final Answers with Explanations:

1. 52 mph — Speed = Distance ÷ Time = 117 ÷ 2.25 = 52
2. 0.75 yards — 15 ÷ 20 = 0.75
3. 18 jujubes — Work backwards: Kyle had 18, so Jen had 36, ate half = 18
4. $8190 *(Image says $8096 — likely error)* — Geometric series: 2 + 4 + ... + 4096 = 8190
5. 66 cubes — Sum of first 11 integers = 11×12/2 = 66
6. 1/3 or 2/6 — Ate 1/3 of 1/2 = 1/6; left = 1/2 - 1/6 = 1/3

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📌 Note: Problem 4’s answer in the image ($8096) is mathematically incorrect. The correct total is $8190. This may be a typo in the worksheet.