3rd grade math word problems: 15 examples with answers

These 15 word problems cover the main types Grade 3 children meet at school. Answers are at the end of each section, so you can use this page as a quick worksheet. Ask your child to draw or write a number sentence for each one before checking.

Multiplication

1. A box holds 6 eggs. How many eggs are in 4 boxes?
2. A hall has 8 rows of chairs with 5 chairs in each row. How many chairs are there?
3. A spider has 8 legs. How many legs do 3 spiders have?

Answers: 1. 4 × 6 = 24 eggs. 2. 8 × 5 = 40 chairs. 3. 3 × 8 = 24 legs.

Division

1. 24 crayons are shared equally between 4 children. How many crayons does each child get?
2. There are 35 cookies. Each bag holds 5 cookies. How many bags are needed?
3. 42 students are put into teams of 6. How many teams are there?

Answers: 1. 24 ÷ 4 = 6 crayons. 2. 35 ÷ 5 = 7 bags. 3. 42 ÷ 6 = 7 teams.

Addition and subtraction within 1,000

1. A library had 345 books. It received 128 more. How many books does it have now?
2. A school has 612 students. 278 are in the lower grades. How many are in the upper grades?
3. A family walked 256 meters to the park and then 189 meters to the lake. How far did they walk?

Answers: 1. 345 + 128 = 473 books. 2. 612 − 278 = 334 students. 3. 256 + 189 = 445 meters.

Two-step problems

1. Sam buys 3 packs of cards with 8 cards in each pack. He gives 5 cards to a friend. How many cards does Sam have now?
2. A baker makes 4 trays of muffins with 9 muffins on each tray. She sells 20. How many muffins are left?
3. Ana has $50. She buys 2 books that cost $12 each. How much money does she have left?

Answers: 1. 3 × 8 = 24, then 24 − 5 = 19 cards. 2. 4 × 9 = 36, then 36 − 20 = 16 muffins. 3. 2 × 12 = 24, then 50 − 24 = $26.

Time, length and area

1. Recess starts at 10:15 and lasts 25 minutes. What time does it end?
2. A ribbon is 72 centimeters long. It is cut into 8 equal pieces. How long is each piece?
3. A rug is 6 feet long and 4 feet wide. What is its area?

Answers: 1. 10:40. 2. 72 ÷ 8 = 9 centimeters. 3. 6 × 4 = 24 square feet.

How to help when your child is stuck

• Read the problem aloud together and ask what the question is asking.
• Ask whether there are equal groups. If so, it is probably multiplication or division.
• For two-step problems, solve one part at a time and say what the new number means.
• Always ask for a unit in the answer: eggs, meters, dollars.