Read the math problem to comprehend the information given. Before tackling the math portion, a student must read and reread the problem to determine three things. Separate the information needed to figure out the math problem from what isn’t needed. For example, if the problem starts out as “Jon went to the store with $20 dollars and spent $10 and ran into Jimmy”. You need to pick out the important information about how much money Jon had and what he spent. Determining and separating the facts help you restate the problem to aid in understanding the problem.
Another reading strategy entails creating a plan to solve the open-ended problem. You approach the problem by comparing it to other open-ended math problems or selecting the numbers. Typically, word math problems are similar. When reading the problem, you may see how it resembles a previous problem. Sometimes open-ended math problems may include key words which indicate the type of math to use. In the problem where Jon went to the store and spent money, you would employ subtraction to solve the problem. Once you’ve decided how to devise your plan, employ your strategy.
Look for the reasonable solution. Examining the problem entails double-checking to ensure there isn’t a different way to solve the problem. Re-reading the problem to check for another solution helps you avoid making the mistake of picking the obvious solution to the problem. The solution may be more complex than it appears at first.
Always ask questions before, during and after reading the questions. Remember, an open-ended math problem is akin to reading a paragraph in an English text book. You want to distinguish between the main ideas and supporting details to help solve the math problem. To separate the information, draw a four-column chart on a sheet of paper. Label the sections: know, not know, what to find out and strategy. Read the open-ended math problem and place the facts in the columns. This allows you to figure how to solve the problem.