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Every big problem has a path to a solution. First, we must analyze the facts we have. Then, we make a plan, solve it, and check our work.
First, analyze the clues. Look at what you know and what you need to find. This helps you build a smart plan.
Next, solve and check. We carry out our plan to find the answer. Finally, we ask ourselves: does this answer make sense?
✏️ Worked example
Sam has 4 bags of apples. Each bag has 5 red apples. Sam eats 2 apples. How many apples does Sam have left? Let's use our problem-solving model to solve this step-by-step!
Analyze: We know there are 4 bags. Each bag has 5 apples. Sam eats 2 apples. We need to find the total number of apples left.
Plan: First, multiply the bags by the apples to find the start total. Next, subtract the 2 eaten apples.
Solve: Multiply 4 bags by 5 apples to get 20 apples. Then, subtract 2 from 20. 20 minus 2 is 18.
Justify: We can add to check. 18 apples left plus 2 eaten apples equals 20 total. This matches our multiplication!
Evaluate: 18 is a sensible answer. It is close to 20, and eating a few apples should leave us with a number slightly less than we started with.
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