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Multiplication and Division are a part of the primary school Mathematics curriculum. These are universal mathematical operations that lay down the foundation for the Quantitative Aptitude of an individual. They are the fundamentals of nearly all mathematical concepts, ingrained into basic Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, and Calculus.
Thus, it is essential for all the students to ace the Multiplication and Division word problems. Let’s understand more about multiplication and division word problems in this blog!
This Blog Includes:
What are Multiplication and Division Word Problems?
Multiplication and Division word problems are comprehensive mathematical questions designed to help students learn these skills by giving them real-life scenarios. These word problems help young children relate to the problems on a personal level, activating their cognition in a better way.
However, some of them may face a slight difficulty in understanding these questions. So, let’s try and understand how to progress with such questions.
Importance of Multiplication and Division Word Problems
Multiplication and division word problems build logical thinking, improve problem-solving skills, and help students connect math concepts to real-life situations. Here are some of the importance of multiplication and division word problems:
- Apply the math in daily life: shopping, sharing items, or calculating costs.
- Improve logical thinking: word problems require understanding, not just calculation.
- Build problem-solving skills: students learn to analyse, plan, and solve problems.
- Prepare for exams: word problems are a key part of school tests and competitive exams.
- Develop confidence: applying math to real-life examples makes learning more practical.
Also Read: 45+ Simple Interest Questions for Class 7 with Answers for Competitive Exams: Download Free PDF
Division Word Problem with Example
Division word problems involve sharing or grouping numbers equally. These examples show how to apply division in practical, real-life situations. Here are some examples of division word problems with examples:
Example 1: A farmer has 72 mangoes. He wants to put them equally into 9 baskets. How many mangoes will each basket have?
Solution: 72 ÷ 9 = 8 mangoes per basket
Example 2: A bus can carry 50 passengers. If there are 600 passengers, how many buses are required?
Solution: 600 ÷ 50 = 12 buses
Multiplication Word Problems
Multiplication word problems generally include keywords like calculating the “total” number of objects, goods or production. Here are some examples of multiplication word problems:
Q1: There are 4 rows of seats in a class. Each row has 12 benches. How many students can sit in the class?
Ans:
In such questions, we take the following steps:
Note the number of benches in one row = 12
No. of rows = 4
Multiply the number by the number of rows = 12×4
Total number of seats available for students = 48
Therefore, 48 students can sit in the class!
Q2: A bottle factory produces 684 bottles a day. How many bottles will the factory produce in 46 days?
Ans:
Number of tyres a tyre factory produces in one day = 684
Number of days = 46
Total number of bottles produced = 684 x 46 = 31464
Therefore, the company will produce 31464 bottles in 46 days.
Q3: A carton holds 20 packets of biscuits. Each packet has 12 biscuits. How many biscuits can be packed in 45 cartons?
Number of packets in 1 carton = 20
Number of biscuits in 1 packet = 12
Number of biscuits in 1 carton or 20 packets = 12 × 20= 240
Number of biscuits in 45 cartons = 240 × 45= 10800
Therefore, altogether there are 10,800 biscuits.
Q4: The monthly salary of a man is Rs. 2,500. What is his annual income by salary?
Number of months in a year = 12
Salary of 1 month = Rs 2,500
Annual salary= salary of 12 months= 2,500 × 12= Rs. 30,000
Therefore, annual income = Rs 30,000
Division Word Problems
Division word problems, on the other hand, are generally the hardest among Multiplication and Division word problems. They have questions that deal with segregating/putting/sorting objects into different sections. Here are some examples to help you understand better:
Q1: There are 140 peanuts in a bowl. A worker has to put them equally into 4 packets. How many peanuts will be in one packet?
Ans:
For division word problems, we always start by identifying the dividend and the divisor.
The total number of peanuts will be taken as a dividend. This is because we have to sort them into smaller groups, i.e. divide the total number of peanuts
The number of packets will be the divisor because we have to divide the peanuts into the number of packets we have.
Total number of peanuts, i.e. dividend =140
No. of packets, i.e. divisor = 4
No. of packets = 140 / 4
After division, the quotient comes out to be 35.
Therefore, the total number of peanuts in a packet will be 35.
Q2: A school has 2412 students in total. They put only 36 students in one class. How many classes are there in total?
Ans: For this question also, we will first identify the dividend and the divisor.
For beginner division questions, dividends can be identified by scanning the question for the largest number. Here, the total number of students is the largest number. Additionally, putting students into classes requires dividing the total number of students. Hence, the total number of students will be the dividend, i.e. 2412
The number of students to be put in one class will be the divisor in this question, as it is the number of students that are to be put in a class. So, we have to make groups of 36 students from 2412 students. Then, we perform a basic division operation
After performing division, we get the quotient as 67. The remainder is 0. Therefore, we will make 67 classes to accommodate all the students in the school. If the remainder was not zero, we would have to make one more class to accommodate the extra students.
Hence, the total number of classes will be 67.
Q3. Rs. 5,500 is distributed equally among 25 men. How much money will each person get?
Money received by 35 men = Rs 5,500
So, money received by 1 man= Rs 5500 ÷ 25= Rs. 220
Hence, each man will get Rs. 220.
Q4. How many hours are there in 1500 minutes?
Number of minutes in 1 hr. = 60 minutes
This means that 60 minutes = 1 hour
By Unitary Method,
1 minute= 1/60 hour
Hence, 1500 minutes= 1 ÷ 60 × 1500
Or,
1500 ÷ 60= 25 hours
So there are 25 hours in 1500 minutes.
Practice Problems
The illustrations must have helped you understand how to solve multiplication and division word problems. Here are some questions based on the same concept for you to practice. The questions are mixed so that you also work on identifying whether a question requires you to multiply or divide.
Q1: Alex has 150 tickets for a concert. He has to put them in 10 boxes. How many tickets will be there in a single box?
Q2: There are 10 candies in a packet. A shopkeeper buys 124 packets of these candies. How many candies does he have in total?
Q3: There are 5240 fish in a pond. The number of fish doubles in a month. How many fish will be in the pond after two months?
Q4: A worker has 4500 loose sheets. He has to make notebooks with 120 pages. How many notebooks can he make?
Q5: It takes 15 minutes to make a card. A worker works for 6 hours a day. How many cards will he be able to make?
Q6: A student is collecting leaves for a science experiment. He collects 6 new types of leaves in a day. How many leaves will he have in a week?
Q7: A shopkeeper earns 10$ on making a sale. If he makes 123 sales, how much money will he be able to earn?
Q8: Ron is taking his students out on a school trip. There are 2420 students in the school. A bus can only seat 45 students. How many buses will he need to take all the students on a trip?
Q9: A company makes 12 bulbs in a day. They work 6 days a week. How many bulbs will they be able to make at the end of 8 weeks?
Q10: Samyak makes pen boxes in his workshop. If he works for 3 hours, he is able to make 1 box. He works for 8 hours a day. How many boxes will he be able to make in 12 days?
Tips for Solving Multiplication and Division Word Problems
Simple strategies can make solving multiplication and division word problems easier. These tips help students understand, plan, and solve questions accurately. Here are some tips for solving multiplication and division word problems:
- Highlight important numbers and keywords.
- Decided on the operation before calculating
- Practice with real-life examples like money, shopping, or travel.
- Write neatly to avoid mistakes in large calculations.
- Double-check answers to ensure they make sense.
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Multiplication and division Word problems are an essential part of math learning. They teach students how to use mathematics in real life, sharpen problem-solving skills, and improve logical thinking. With regular practice, clear understanding, and the right approach, solving these problems becomes easier and more enjoyable. So, the next time you come across a word problem, remember to read carefully, choose the right operation, and solve step by step.
FAQs
Multiplication and Division word problems are comprehensive mathematical questions designed to help students learn these skills by giving them real-life scenarios.
Number of months in a year = 12
Salary for 1 month = Rs 2,500
Annual salary= salary of 12 months= 2,500 × 12= Rs. 30,000
Therefore, annual income = Rs 30,000
Money received by 35 men = Rs 5,500
So, money received by 1 man= Rs 5500 ÷ 25= Rs. 220
Hence, each man will get Rs. 220.
Division word problems involve distributing a total quantity into equal parts or determining how many equal parts fit into a total. In contrast, multiplication word problems combine equal groups to find a total. Recognising keywords like “each,” “per,” or “divided among” can help identify division problems, while terms like “total,” “product,” or “times” often indicate multiplication.
Look for context clues:
Multiplication is used when combining equal groups to find a total.
Division is used when splitting a total into equal parts or determining how many times a number fits into another. Keywords and the problem’s context can guide you in choosing the correct operation.
Some scenarios require combining equal groups (multiplication) and then distributing or partitioning them (division) to find the solution, reflecting real-life situations where multiple operations are necessary.
Break down the problem into manageable steps, use estimation to check reasonableness, and consider simplifying the numbers to make calculations easier before applying the actual values.
Use real-life scenarios, encourage visualisation through drawing models, practice identifying keywords, and provide step-by-step guidance to help students understand and solve word problems.
Examples include dividing a total amount of money equally among a group, determining how many containers are needed to hold a certain number of items, or splitting a distance into equal parts.
Examples include calculating total cost when buying multiple items at a fixed price, determining the area of a rectangular space, or finding the total number of objects in several groups.
Related Reads
So, by the end of this blog, we have given you all that was required to know about multiplication and division word problems. Hope you had no difficulty in grasping the concepts. Keep on practising and you’ll be able to progress through the topic in no time. Stay in touch with Leverage Edu for more such articles.
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