Equation Word Problems Worksheets - Free Printable

Let’s solve each problem one by one, step by step.

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Problem 1:

Dalia bought marbles and divided them equally among her 4 friends + herself → that’s 5 people total.

Jake took 2 marbles.
Only 7 marbles are left for the other 4 friends (since Jake is separate).

So, after Jake took his 2, there were 7 marbles left to split among 4 friends? Wait — let’s read again:

> “divided it equally among four of her friends and her brother, Jake” → so 5 people total get equal shares.

Then: “While playing, Jake lost 2 marbles and he only has 7 marbles at present.”

That means Jake originally had 7 + 2 = 9 marbles.

Since all 5 people got equal shares, each person got 9 marbles.

Total marbles Dalia bought = 5 × 9 = 45

✔ Check: 5 people × 9 = 45. Jake loses 2 → has 7. Others still have 9 each. Total now: 4×9 + 7 = 36 + 7 = 43? But wait — the question says “how many marbles did Dalia buy in all?” — we don’t care about current total, just original. Original was 45. Correct.

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Problem 2:

Bus departs NY at 11 pm with 44 passengers.

One hour later → arrives somewhere, some get off, then new ones board.

Number who boarded = number who got off → so net change is zero? Wait no — actually, if same number got off and on, total stays same? But then it says bus has 50 when leaving for NJ.

Wait — let’s parse:

- Starts with 44.
- At stop: X get off, X get on → so still 44?
- Then leaves for NJ with 50? That doesn’t add up.

Wait — maybe I misread.

Actually: “An hour later, a few passengers got off... The number of passengers who boarded the bus at this point was three times the number of passengers who got off...”

Ah! Important detail: boarded = 3 × got off.

Let x = number who got off.

Then 3x = number who boarded.

Original: 44

After getting off: 44 - x

After boarding: 44 - x + 3x = 44 + 2x

This equals 50.

So:

44 + 2x = 50
→ 2x = 6
→ x = 3

So 3 passengers got off.

✔ Check: Start 44. 3 get off → 41. 9 get on (3×3) → 41+9=50. Correct.

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Problem 3:

Clara lends half her collection to Susan.

Then buys 4 more.

Now has 12.

We need to find how many she had initially.

Work backwards.

End: 12

Before buying 4: 12 - 4 = 8

These 8 are what she had AFTER lending half away.

So before lending, she had twice that: 8 × 2 = 16

✔ Check: Start with 16. Lend half → 8 left. Buy 4 → 12. Correct.

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Problem 4:

Rock Zoo had 37 big cat species.

Now sponsors some → now has 25 species.

How many sponsored?

Simple subtraction: 37 - 25 = 12

✔ So 12 species were sponsored.

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Problem 5:

Megan + 4 friends = 5 people total.

They buy 12 bottles of apple juice.

Also buy orange juice.

Total bottles = 30.

So orange juice = 30 - 12 = 18 bottles.

Shared equally among 5 people.

Each gets 18 ÷ 5 = 3.6? Wait — but bottles are whole? Hmm.

Wait — problem says “they share the bottles equally”. Maybe fractional bottles allowed? Or did I miscount?

Wait — 5 people, 18 bottles of orange juice.

18 ÷ 5 = 3.6 → but that’s not a whole number. Did I make mistake?

Wait — reread:

“Megan and four of her friends plan to go for a long drive. She buys 12 bottles of apple juice and a few bottles of orange juice... total number of bottles they have is 30.”

So total bottles = 30.

Apple = 12 → Orange = 18.

Shared equally among 5 people → each gets 18/5 = 3.6 bottles of orange juice?

But maybe the problem expects fraction or decimal? Or perhaps I misread number of people?

“Megan and four of her friends” → yes, 5 people.

Perhaps it’s okay to have decimal? In real life you can pour partial bottles.

But let’s check if problem implies whole numbers.

It says “how many bottles of orange juice did Megan get?” — probably expects exact value.

18 ÷ 5 = 3.6 → which is 3 and 3/5.

But maybe write as fraction? Or decimal?

In context of school math, often accept decimals or fractions.

But let’s see — perhaps I made error.

Wait — total bottles 30, apple 12, so orange 18. Shared by 5 → 18/5 per person.

Yes.

So Megan got 18/5 = 3.6 bottles.

But maybe express as mixed number: 3 3/5.

Or leave as improper fraction? Probably decimal is fine.

But let’s confirm calculation:

5 people × 3.6 = 18 → correct.

So answer is 3.6 or 18/5.

But since problem says “bottles”, maybe they expect fraction.

I’ll go with 18/5 or 3.6 — either is correct.

But in elementary math, sometimes they avoid decimals — so perhaps 3 3/5.

Wait — let me see if problem allows non-integer.

The first problem had integers, second integer, third integer, fourth integer — fifth might be fraction.

Alternatively — did I miscount people?

“Megan and four of her friends” — that’s 5. Yes.

Total bottles 30, apple 12 → orange 18.

18 divided by 5 is indeed 3.6.

So I think it’s acceptable.

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Now, compiling final answers:

1) 45
2) 3
3) 16
4) 12
5) 3.6 or 18/5 — but let's write as fraction to be precise: 18/5

But in boxed answer, perhaps simplify.

Wait — problem says “how many bottles” — maybe they expect decimal or fraction.

I’ll use fraction: \frac{18}{5}

But let me double-check problem 5 once more.

"Megan and four of her friends" → 5 people.

Buys 12 apple, some orange, total 30 → orange = 18.

Share equally → each gets 18/5.

Yes.

So final answers:

1) 45
2) 3
3) 16
4) 12
5) \frac{18}{5} or 3.6 — but since others are integers, maybe write as mixed number? 3\frac{3}{5}

But in math problems, improper fraction is fine.

I'll go with \frac{18}{5} for accuracy.

But let me see if the problem might have meant something else.

Another interpretation: “she buys 12 bottles of apple juice and a few bottles of orange juice” — “a few” might imply small number, but 18 is not few? But mathematically it’s correct.

No, I think it’s right.

So Final Answer section will list all five.

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Final Answer:
1) 45
2) 3
3) 16
4) 12
5) \frac{18}{5}