(upbeat music) - Good morning everyone.

It is so good to be with you this morning.

Before we get started, let's go see if we got any mail today.

We did, a postcard for Ms. Post.

Let's see what it says.

Miss Post, I've got a word problem for you.

Oh, I love word problems.

Your dad drove 238 miles for a family trip.

Your aunt drove 52 miles more than your dad.

Your cousin drove 87 miles less than your aunt.

How many miles did your cousin drive?

I love word problems.

Now, I know some people get a little worried when they see a long math problem, but today I hope I can give you some tips on how to approach math problems.

Number one, read the problem and really try to picture it.

Number two, underline the question.

So when you read through that word problem, or sometimes we call it a story problem, underline what they're wanting you to answer.

Number three, draw a picture if you need to.

Sometimes that really helps me get a better idea of what the question is about.

And last number four, after you've worked the math problem, always double check and make sure that you answered the question that you underlined.

Now, the most important part is that you're picturing the problem in your head just like you would if you were reading a story.

So let's do that.

Now, our problem said that your dad drove 238 miles for this family trip.

So I'm gonna draw a little road.

So let's say that this is what dad drove and it was 238 miles.

That's a long trip, isn't it?

So after dad, then your aunt drove 52 miles more than your dad.

Now I'm already picturing- if the aunt drove 52 miles more, then my road should probably be longer.

So let's draw it a little longer.

So here's the aunt.

She drove just as far as dad, so I'm gonna write down the 238 miles plus 52 more.

There's one more part to our picture.

Your cousin drove 87 miles less than your aunt.

So right now I'm picturing a little bit shorter road because I saw the words less than.

So let's add that part to our trip.

Now I haven't figured out yet exactly how many miles the aunt drove, but I do know that whatever it is, the cousin drove 87 miles less than that.

So for right now, I'm gonna call this A for how far the aunt drove and then we're gonna take away 87.

Now let's go ahead and figure out how long the aunt actually drove.

So we need to add 238 plus 52.

And I'm gonna use a method where we think about the hundreds and then the tens and then the ones and then we'll put them all together.

So let's figure out exactly how far the aunt drove.

We're going to add 238, which is equal to 200 plus 30, plus eight and then we're adding to that 52.

Now 52 doesn't have a hundred spot.

So I'm gonna leave this blank and then we have our 50 in the 10 spot and we have our two in the one spot.

Now, let's add it all together.

So in my hundreds, I have the 200.

In my tens I have 80 and in my ones I have 10.

So now let's just put it all together.

200 plus 80 plus 10 gives me 290 miles that the aunt drove.

So I'm gonna come back up here and I'm gonna replace the 238 plus 52 with our total for the aunt, which was 290.

Now, one last part.

How far did the cousin drive?

Well, it was how far the aunt drove and then take away 87.

So I'm gonna erase the A and I'm gonna fill it in with a 290.

Now, when I look at the 87, I see tens and ones.

When I look at the 290, I see hundreds and tens and ones.

I'm gonna cover up the hundreds and just do 90 take away 87 and that would be counting back three.

So there's my ones, I have no tens and I've still got my 200.

So dad drove 238, the aunt drove 290 and the cousin drove 203.

Such a great word problem.

So did we answer the underlying question?

Yes, we did.

The cousin drove 203 miles.

What a great word problem.

Well, I hope today's lesson helped you think about how to picture the stories that are in math problems.

Have a great rest of the day.

Remember, keep a positive mindset.

Grow every day by reading and asking questions.

And remember, there's nothing that you can't do if you put your mind to it.

I'll see you soon.