Multiplication word problems Quiz & printable worksheets


Types of words problems

Before rush into Multiplication word problems quiz & printable worksheets let’s first see how to handle different types of multiplication problems.

I. Unknown Product

For unknown Product, you will be able to know the Group size (number of elements in each group or group’s value) and the Number of groups, but the total is a mystery. From these information, have can collect the 2 factors of multiplication sentence then find the product.

The form of the ‘Unknown products’ equation is: a x b = ? On which ‘a’ is the number of groups and ‘b’ the group size.

For example: Andy buys 2 cakes. Each cake cost $5.00. How much does Andy spend in total?

Here the number of groups is ‘2’ (two) and the group size is ‘5’ ($5.00). Both of those values are the factors of the multiplication sentence which answer is: 2 x 5 = 10.
You get $10.00 for the 2 cakes. So Andy spends $10.00 in total.

II. Unknown ‘Group Size’

Unknown Group Size means that you get the Number of groups and the Product (Total), but you need to find the Group size.

The equation here can be like this: a x ? = P (Multiplication expression) or P ÷ a = ? (Division sentence)

Example: You have 32 apples which you share equitably in 9 baskets. How many apples will be in each basket?
The same problem can be written this way: 32 apples are divided into 9 baskets. How many apples do you have in each basket?

1. For this problem, you can draw your 9 basket and begin to share the apples 9 equitably. You will finally get 4 apples in each basket.

2. Using nines skip counting, you can jump 4 times and get the number 32 (0 – 9; 9 – 18; 18 – 27; 27 – 32), which means you get 4 apples in each basket.

3. If you have memorized your times tables, this is an easy issue. 9 x 4 = 32, so the answer is 4.

III. ‘Number of Group’ Unknown

Here, you know the Group size and the Product (Total) but the Number of groups is unknown.

The equation look like: ? x b = P (Multiplication sentence) or P ÷ b = ? (Division sentence)

Example: You have 24 donuts to share between several children. You want to give each child 8 donuts. How many children will you give?

1. First, you can draw an array. Add a row of 8 donuts, and then from the second row of 8, begin to find out the total of donuts; when you reach 24 donuts, it means the number of children equal to the ones of rows. After 3 rows of 8 donuts, you have 24 donuts.

2. Using eights skip counting, you get 8 – 16 – 24 which equal to 3 interval. So the 24 donuts are shared between 3 children.

3. Times tables are more efficient since 3 x 8 = 24, the answer is 3 children.