Equation word problems worksheets
Twenty-four equation word problems: number puzzles, money and bills, perimeter and angles, consecutive numbers, ages, sharing, comparing plans and two-step stories.
Download the free equation word problems worksheet (PDF)
Equation word problems worksheet
What’s on the worksheet
- 24 questions on equation word problems, sized for US Letter paper
- 2 pages of questions plus an answer key on the last page
- Written for grades 6–8, matching Common Core 6.EE.B.7, 7.EE.B.4, 8.EE.C.7
- Name and date lines at the top, and room to show the work
Sample questions from this worksheet
- A number plus 17 is
- What is the number? Answer:
- Five times a number is
- The angles of a triangle are x, 2x and 3x. Find x. (The angles add to 180°.) Answer: Answer:
- Two numbers in a row add to
- Three numbers in a row add to
Preview the worksheet and answer key
Make a new equation word problems worksheet
Need another page for extra practice, a retake or a second group in class? The free Mathify Kids test maker builds a fresh equation word problems worksheet with different numbers every time. Choose how many questions, print it with its own answer key, or let your child take it on screen and see the score straight away.
Equation word problems: a worked example (A plumber charges $40 plus $25 an hour. The bill is $140.)
- Choose a letter: let h be the number of hours.
- Write the bill as an expression: 40 + 25h.
- Write the equation: 40 + 25h = 140.
- Solve: 25h = 100, so h = 4. Check in the story: $40 + 4 × $25 = $140.
How to use it at home and in class
At home
Questions 1 to 9 suit grade 6, 10 to 16 suit grade 7, and 17 to 24 suit grade 8. For every problem, ask your child to write “let __ = __” first. If a problem feels hard, try a guess and check: the working usually shows what the equation should be. Ten problems a day works better than a whole sheet at once. Mark them together with the answer key, then ask your child to explain one they got wrong: finding the mistake themselves is where the learning happens.
In class
Use the first row as a warm-up, a full page for independent practice, or five questions as an exit ticket. For a retake or a second group, make a new version with the test maker so every child gets different numbers.
Mistakes to watch for
- Not saying what the letter stands for, then answering the wrong question.
- Writing “5 less than n” as 5 − n instead of n − 5.
- Forgetting the second part of the answer, like the length after finding the width.
- Accepting an answer that makes no sense in the story, like a negative number of tickets.
What to practice before and after equation word problems
- Before: inequalities. If this sheet is a struggle, go back a step.
- Learn it first: the equation word problems lesson.
More grades 6–8 worksheets
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Questions parents ask
How do you solve equation word problems?
Choose a letter for the unknown, write an equation from the facts in the story, solve it, and check the answer in the story itself.
What grade is this equation word problems worksheet for?
It is written for grades 6–8 and matches Common Core standards 6.EE.B.7, 7.EE.B.4, 8.EE.C.7.
Can I get a different version of this equation word problems worksheet?
Yes. Use the free Mathify Kids test maker to make a new equation word problems worksheet with different numbers every time. You choose how many questions, and every version comes with its own answer key.