20 Word Problems For Year 3: Develop Their Problem Solving Skills Across Single and Mixed KS2 Topics

Word problems for Year 3 are an important tool for improving number fluency. The key focus in maths in Year 3 of primary school is on ensuring pupils are becoming more fluent with number facts and the concept of place value. Children are starting to develop more efficient written methods by this stage and are beginning to carry out calculations with increasingly larger whole numbers.

As children progress through school, they are exposed to a wider variety of problem solving questions covering a range of concepts. In Year 3 maths these include the four operations, fractions, measures and statistics.  

It is important that children are regularly exposed to reasoning and problem solving questions, alongside the fluency work each lesson. It is also important to remember that all children need exposure to reasoning and problem solving questions, not just the higher attaining pupils who finish quickest.

We have put together a collection of 20 word problems, aimed at Year 3 pupils.

Year 3 Maths Word Problems in the National Curriculum

In Year 3, pupils focus on one-step problems, covering a range of topics across the National Curriculum. At this stage the majority of word problems pupils are tackling will have one-step, but they may also start to be introduced to simple two-step word problems. Here is a breakdown of topics that will be covered and expectations in Year 3. 

Place value

Solve number problems and practical problems involving recognising the place value of each digit of a 3-digit number; comparing and ordering numbers up to 1000 and identifying, representing and estimating numbers using different representations.

Addition and subtraction

Solve problems, including missing number problems, using number facts, place value and more complex addition and subtraction word problems.

Multiplication and division

Solve problems, including missing number problems, involving multiplication and division, including positive integer scaling problems and correspondence problems

Fractions and decimals

 Solve problems involving counting in tenths; recognising unit and non-unit fractions; recognising equivalent fractions and adding/ subtracting fractions with the same denominator.

Measurement

Solve problems involving length, volume and mass; adding and subtracting within money word problems; perimeter and problems involving time.

Statistics

Solve-step and two-step questions (For example, ‘How many more?’ and ‘How many fewer’?) using information presented in scaled bar charts, pictograms and tables.

Why are word problems important in Year 3 maths?

By Year 3, children are starting to learn how to use some of the formal written methods of addition and subtraction. It is important that the link between maths in school and maths in real-life continues to be made. Word problems are a key element in helping pupils to make this link. 

How to teach problem solving in Year 3

When teaching maths problems to Year 3, it’s important to think of ways to make them fun, engaging and something the children are able to relate to. This might include acting out the problem, using concrete resources and providing visual images, to bring the problems to life. 

Benefits of pairs, groups and class discussion 

Children should have plenty of opportunity to talk in pairs, groups and as a whole class, to share their understanding of what is being asked and their strategies for solving the problem. As with Key Stage One, the use of manipulatives is important and all children should have access to a range of maths resources when solving problems like this.

Pupils need to be encouraged to read word problems carefully and to make sure they understand what is being asked, before attempting to tackle the problem. This is where the use of a partner and group discussion can really help children’s understanding. Students then need to think about what they already know and how they can use this to help them answer the question. Where appropriate, pupils should also be encouraged to draw diagrams and pictures to help them solve the question.

Here is an example:

Mason needs 4 apples to make an apple pie.

If he has 28 apples. How many apple pies can he make?

How to solve:

What do you already know?

• We know 4 apples are needed to make an apple pie.
• We are told how many apples Mason has in total, so we must have to divide the total number by 4.
• In year 3, children should be building confidence with multiplication and division facts for the 4 times table, so some will be able to quickly recall these facts to solve the problem.
• Children who aren’t apple to recall quickly could use counters to represent the apples, or draw a bar model to help solve it.

How can this be drawn/represented pictorially?

We can draw a bar model or counters to represent this problem:

• To calculate how pies the 28 apples will make, we can either use or draw 28 counters and put them into groups of 4. We can see that 28 counters will make 7 groups of 4.
• Using the bar model, we can keep adding 4 to the bar until we reach 28. From the bar we can see that 7 x 4 = 28.
• 7 apple pies can be made from the 28 apple pies that Mason has.

Addition word problems for Year 3

In Year 3, pupils are exposed to a range of addition word problems, including problems involving mental addition and addition of up to 3-digits using formal written methods.

See also: Mental maths Year 3

At Third Space Learning we often tie word problems into our one-to-one online tuition. With each programme personalised to the needs of each individual student, children are able to develop their problem solving skills, maths fluency and grow confidence in maths.

Subtraction word problems for Year 3

Subtraction word problems in Year 3 also need to comprise of a combination of mental calculation questions and those involving formal written subtraction up to 3-digits. Children should also be starting to estimate answers and check their calculations by using the inverse.

Multiplication word problems for Year 3

By the end of Year 3, pupils should be able to recall and use multiplication facts for the 3, 4 and 8 times table. They should also be starting to progress to using the formal written method for solving multiplication word problems involving 2 digits multiplied by a 1-digit number. 

Division word problems for Year 3

In Year 3, pupils will need to learn the division facts for the 3, 4 and 8 multiplication tables. At this stage, pupils are required to learn the formal method for division, division word problems will involve mainly mental calculations.

Fraction word problems in Year 3

In Year 3 pupils are exposed to a range of fraction word problems, including questions involving counting up and down in tenths; equivalent fractions and adding/subtracting fractions with the same denominator.

Time word problems in Year 3

In Year 3 time word problems may be incorporated into maths problem solving. Students are expected to know time vocabulary, be able to compare time in terms of seconds, minutes and hours and know how many seconds are in a minute and minutes are in an hour. 

Multi-step word problems in Year 3

When children first move into lower Key Stage 2, word problems are predominantly one-step. As they become more confident they can be exposed to more word problems, requiring a second step or multi-step word problems.

We hope that this collection of word problems for Year 3 becomes a useful resource in your Year 3 maths classroom. For more Year 3 maths resources, take a look at our library of Year 3 maths worksheets.

Third Space Learning also offers a wide array of maths and word problems resources for other year groups such as word problems for year 6, word problems for Year 5 and word problems for year 4. Our practice word problems cover all four operations and include more specific topics such as percentage word problems and ratio word problems.