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Situation(s)
Quantities
Equation(s)
Analyze
Communicate

Welcome

Use this mnemonic to break open unfamiliar word problems.

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Situation(s)
Quantities
Equation(s)
Analyze
Communicate

Neatly and graphically represent situations

Digest the problem statement a few words at a time until the figures/tables you've prepared would allow someone who had never seen the problem statement to understand the problem.

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Situation(s)
Quantities
Equation(s)
Analyze
Communicate

Graphically represent quantities

Use labeled
  • 📈 graphs
  • ↗ scaled arrows
  • 📊 bar charts
  • ∢ scaled angle arcs
  • 🧮 countable icons
to represent quantities.

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Situation(s)
Quantities
Equation(s)
Analyze
Communicate

Identify allowed starting point equations

Your equation(s)/inequalities must come from sanctioned documentation (e.g. textbook, formula sheet, notes). Do NOT start with equations that were derived for special-case examples.

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Situation(s)
Quantities
Equation(s)
Analyze
Communicate

Analyze your pictures, words, and algebra

Use proportional reasoning, investigation of functional relationships, substitution, algebraic manipulation, and other deductive methods to work toward inferences.

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Situation(s)
Quantities
Equation(s)
Analyze
Communicate

Communicate your result

What kind of result are you asked to provide?


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Situation(s)
Quantities
Equation(s)
Analyze
Communicate

Communicate your result

For algebraic/numeric results, clearly box a complete response including appropriate sign, labeling variable (don't just box an expression, box a relationship with at least a left side and a right side), and units.

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Situation(s)
Quantities
Equation(s)
Analyze
Communicate

Communicate organized REASoNing

  • Relationship/rule
  • Equal/same
  • Altered/different
  • So what?
  • Next?

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Situation(s)
Quantities
Equation(s)
Analyze
Communicate

Yay!

You probably solved your problem!