Multiply or Divide Word Problems Worksheets for 3rd Grade
Mixed stories where students decide whether to multiply or to divide. 15 free printable worksheets, each with an answer key.
Save to PinterestFree Multiply or Divide Word Problems Worksheets
Click a worksheet to open the PDF, or grab the matching answer key. Every sheet prints on one page.
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Multiply or Divide Word Problems: what children learn
Students decide whether a story is about finding a total from equal groups, which means multiplying, or about splitting a total, which means dividing. Naming the three numbers in the story (groups, size, total) shows which one is missing.
Multiply or Divide Word Problems: worked example
There are 35 apples. Each basket holds 5 apples. How many baskets are needed? 7
The total is 35 and each group is 5. 35 ÷ 5 = 7, so 7 baskets are needed.
Multiply or Divide Word Problems: a common mistake to watch for
Kids often multiply the two numbers they see, even when the story gives the total and asks for the number of groups.
Multiply or Divide Word Problems: how to help at home or in class
Choose three numbers, such as 4, 6 and 24, and take turns inventing two different stories with them: one that multiplies and one that divides. Each story asks about a different missing number even though the three numbers stay the same. Then read a new story aloud and ask which of your two it resembles, and why. When your child can explain their choice, they are ready for stories with all four operations.
What is on these Multiply or Divide Word Problems worksheets
This set has 15 different worksheets for 3rd grade, with 5 questions on each and a matching answer key for every sheet. The instruction printed on each worksheet is: “Read each story. Multiply or divide to find the answer.”
Example questions like the ones on these worksheets, with their answers:
- Nina makes 4 groups of 5 cookies. How many cookies is that in all?20
- Oscar reads 40 pages in 4 days. Oscar reads the same number of pages each day. How many pages does Oscar read each day?10
- A tray has 30 crackers. They are in equal rows of 3. How many rows are there?10
- Chen buys 9 packs of notebooks. Each pack has 3 notebooks. How many notebooks does Chen get?27
- Yuki has 21 crayons. Yuki puts 7 crayons in each cup. How many cups does Yuki need?3
Every answer on every sheet is checked by a separate program before the worksheet is published. How we check answers