In all: Add
Altogether: Add
Total: Add
Sum: Add
Combined: Add
Plus: Add
More than: Add (but 'A is 3 more than B' means A = B + 3)
Increased by: Add
Gained: Add
Both: Add the two amounts
How many are left: Subtract
Remain: Subtract
Difference: Subtract
Fewer than: Subtract
Less than: Subtract (order is flipped: '5 less than 9' is 9 − 5)
Decreased by: Subtract
Take away: Subtract
How many more: Subtract to compare two amounts
Lost: Subtract
Gave away: Subtract
Minus: Subtract
Times: Multiply
Product: Multiply
Of (with a fraction or percent): Multiply
Each (with a total needed): Multiply
Every: Multiply or divide, depending on the question
Twice: Multiply by 2
Double: Multiply by 2
Triple: Multiply by 3
Per: Multiply or divide; it marks a rate
At this rate: Multiply a rate by an amount
Groups of: Multiply
Rows of: Multiply
Quotient: Divide
Divided equally: Divide
Shared equally: Divide
Split among: Divide
Half of: Divide by 2
Average: Add the values, then divide by how many
Per person: Divide the total by the number of people
How many in each group: Divide
How many groups: Divide
Ratio of: Compare using division or a fraction
Percent of: Convert to a decimal and multiply
Is (as an equals sign): =
What is: The unknown value, a variable
At most: ≤
At least: ≥
No more than: ≤
No less than: ≥
More than (inequality): >
Fewer than (inequality): <
Is the same as: =
Consecutive numbers: Numbers in order with no gaps, such as n, n + 1, n + 2
Consecutive even numbers: n, n + 2, n + 4
Perimeter: Add the lengths of all the sides
Area: Multiply (for a rectangle, length times width)
Step 1 of solving a word problem: Read it and decide what the question asks
Step 2 of solving a word problem: Pick out the numbers and units you need
Step 3 of solving a word problem: Choose the operation and write an equation
Step 4 of solving a word problem: Solve it, then check that the answer makes sense and has the right units
Extra information: A number in a problem you do not need
Multi-step problem: A problem needing two or more operations

Free flashcards from Peabody at peabody.kids/flashcards/math-word-problem-keywords