Florida FAST Math Word Problems: Grades 3–6 Practice Guide

1. State what the problem asks you to find, including the unit.
2. Identify the quantities and the relationship between them.
3. Draw a model or write an equation before calculating.
4. Estimate the size or direction of the answer.
5. Solve, then read the answer back in the context of the question.

A word problem asks a student to make several decisions before doing arithmetic. The student must understand the situation, decide what matters, choose a representation, select an operation, calculate accurately, and interpret the result. A miss can happen at any one of those steps.

A keyword can be a clue, but it is not a complete strategy. The word “each” appears in both “6 students each have 24 markers,” which suggests multiplication, and “24 markers are shared equally among 6 students,” which requires division. The student must understand the relationship between the quantities.

• Retell the situation without the numbers.
• Decide whether the total, number of groups, size of each group, difference, part, whole, rate, area, or another quantity is unknown.
• Choose a bar model, equal-groups drawing, number line, table, diagram, or equation that represents that unknown.
• Explain why the operation matches the model.

1. Find the starting total: 7 groups of 6 markers means 7 × 6 = 42 markers.
2. Remove the markers that were used: 42 − 9 = 33.
3. Check: 33 is less than the starting total of 42, which fits the situation.

1. Combine the distance walked: 3/8 + 2/8 = 5/8 mile.
2. Subtract from the whole trail: 8/8 − 5/8 = 3/8 mile.
3. Check with a model: shade 5 of 8 equal sections; 3 equal sections remain unshaded.

1. Estimate the cost: 4 × about $3 is about $12, so the exact total should be near $12.
2. Find the exact cost: 4 × $2.75 = $11.00.
3. Find the change: $20.00 − $11.00 = $9.00.
4. Check: $11.00 + $9.00 = $20.00.

1. Find the discount: 25% is one-fourth, and one-fourth of $48 is $12.
2. Subtract the discount from the original price: $48 − $12 = $36.
3. Check: a 25% discount should make the price lower by one-fourth, so $36 is reasonable.

• What are you trying to find?
• Which information matters, and which information may be extra?
• What does each number represent?
• Can you show the relationship with a drawing, table, number line, or equation?
• Why does that operation fit the situation?
• About how large should the answer be?
• What unit or label belongs in the final answer?
• Does your answer make sense when you read it back in the problem?

1. Warm up with one familiar one-step problem and ask for a complete explanation.
2. Give two mixed problems without labeling the operation or topic.
3. For a missed problem, locate the first incorrect decision before correcting the calculation.
4. Give one new problem with different wording but the same mathematical relationship.
5. End with the child explaining the five-step strategy in their own words.

Change the context and wording, not just the numbers. If every multiplication problem says “groups of,” a child may memorize the surface pattern without learning to recognize multiplicative reasoning in a new situation.

Florida FAST Mathematics is computer-based and can include multiple-choice and technology-enhanced item types. A word problem may ask a student to enter an equation, select more than one response, match information, create a model, or graph a result. Practice should include explaining the setup and checking that every required response was entered.

• Use Florida's official sample items to become familiar with the platform and tools.
• Ask the child to write an equation even when the response format is multiple choice.
• For multiselect items, check whether the directions say to choose more than one answer.
• For multi-part items, verify that every part has a response before moving on.

The context can look simple while the mathematics is not. Choose problems from the child's current grade and current reporting categories rather than borrowing easier or harder work from another grade.