Multi-step problems: choosing operations · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Choosing the right operation, step by step

Mathematics · Multiplication & Division · ages 10-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Amy buys 4 packs of stickers at 35p each and pays with a 2 pound coin. How much change does she get, in pence?

    Answer: ______________

  2. A box holds 24 cans. A shop has 5 boxes and sells 17 cans. How many cans are left?

    • 137
    • 115
    • 100
    • 103

  3. Which word in a problem is a clue to use addition?

    • in total
    • each
    • left over

  4. In a multi-step problem, every step always uses the same operation.

    Circle one:   True   False

  5. For the coach problem, Mia says she multiplied first because she needed the total seats before taking away the empty ones. Is Mia right?

    Circle one:   True   False

  6. Maria has 5 boxes with 6 pencils in each box. She gives away 7 pencils. How many pencils does she have left?

    Answer: ______________

  7. A coach seats 48 people. Three coaches go to a match and 12 seats stay empty. How many people travel?

    • 156
    • 132
    • 108
    • 144

  8. Joe worked out 120 - 17 + 25 as 120 - 42 = 78. What went wrong?

    • He subtracted 17 wrongly
    • He should have multiplied first
    • He added 17 and 25 before subtracting
    • He added an extra 50

  9. 3 shelves have 8 books each. 6 books are removed. Tom wrote: 8 − 6 = 2, then 3 × 2 = 6. What did Tom do wrong?

    • He should have divided instead of multiplying
    • He forgot to add instead of subtract
    • He subtracted too early

  10. A farmer collects 1,250 eggs. She packs 30 boxes of 36 eggs and keeps the rest. How many eggs does she keep?

    • 170
    • 1,080
    • 2,330
    • 230
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Choosing the right operation, step by step W1-mt_RXnyhCRYXA-s1

  1. 60 · 4 packs cost 140p, and 200p minus 140p leaves 60p change.
  2. 103 · 5 boxes hold 120 cans, and 120 minus 17 leaves 103 cans.
  3. in total · Words like 'altogether' or 'in total' mean you should add.
  4. False · Different steps can need different operations, like multiplying first and then adding.
  5. True · Mia is right: the total must exist before the empty seats can be removed.
  6. 23 · Multiply 5 × 6 = 30 for the total, then subtract the 7 given away: 30 − 7 = 23.
  7. 132 · 3 coaches seat 144, and 144 minus 12 empty seats gives 132 people.
  8. He added 17 and 25 before subtracting · Joe grouped 17 + 25 first, but same-rank operations run left to right, giving 128.
  9. He subtracted too early · He needed the total books first: 3 × 8 = 24, then subtract 6 = 18. Subtracting too early changes what the problem is asking.
  10. 170 · 30 boxes hold 1,080 eggs, and 1,250 minus 1,080 leaves 170 kept eggs.
Worksheet · LightMySky