MULTIPLICATION PROBLEMS 2.1A - Solve the Multiplication Word Problems - Spot the Trick Problem

Oct 22, 2026

MULTIPLICATION PROBLEMS 2.1A presents seven multiplication word problems for early learners, supported by a separate answers section. Students calculate quantities involving repeated groups such as legs from multiple dogs, pens in several packs, socks in pairs, and games downloaded across two days. The worksheet also includes a ‘trick’ question where the correct method is addition instead of multiplication, followed by worked solutions to each item.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

MULTIPLICATION PROBLEMS 2.1A

Multiplication word problems

Answers

Name Date MULTIPLICATION PROBLEMS 2.1A Have a go at solving these multiplication word problems. Can you spot the ‘trick’ problem which is not a multiplication problem? 1) How many legs do 2 dogs have? 2) There are 5 pens in a pack. How many pens in 2 packs? 3) How many socks are there in 3 pairs? 4) I download 3 games onto my tablet. The next day I download 2 more. How many have I downloaded? 5) I buy 3 packs of peanut butter cups. Each pack has 3 cups. How many cups are there in total? 6) A guitar has 6 strings. How many strings would I need to restring 2 guitars? 7) I buy 3 packs of ping-pong balls. Each pack has 5 balls. How many balls are there? Did you spot the trick problem? Name Date MULTIPLICATION PROBLEMS 2.1A ANSWERS 1) How many legs do 2 dogs have? 2 x 4 = 8 legs 2) There are 5 pens in a pack. How many pens in 2 packs? 5 x 2 = 10 pens 3) How many socks are there in 3 pairs? 3 x 2 = 6 socks 4) I download 3 games onto my tablet. The next day I download 2 more. How many have I downloaded? 3 + 2 = 5 games ***Trick problem (this was an addition problem) 5) I buy 3 packs of peanut butter cups. Each pack has 3 cups. How many cups are there in total? 3 x 3 = 9 cups 6) A guitar has 6 strings. How many strings would I need to restring 2 guitars? 6 x 2 = 12 strings 7) I buy 3 packs of ping-pong balls. Each pack has 5 balls. How many balls are there? 3 x 5 = 15 balls Name Date MULTIPLICATION PROBLEMS 2.1B Have a go at solving these multiplication word problems. Can you spot the ‘trick’ problem which is not a multiplication problem? 1) How many legs do 3 dogs have? 2) There are 5 pens in a pack. How many pens in 3 packs? 3) How many socks are there in 5 pairs? 4) I download 3 games onto my tablet. The next day I download 7 more. How many have I downloaded? 5) I buy 5 packs of peanut butter cups. Each pack has 3 cups. How many cups are there in total? 6) A guitar has 6 strings. How many strings would I need to restring 3 guitars? 7) I buy 4 packs of ping-pong balls. Each pack has 5 balls. How many balls are there? Did you spot the trick problem? Name Date MULTIPLICATION PROBLEMS 2.1B ANSWERS 1) How many legs do 3 dogs have? 3 x 4 = 12 legs 2) There are 5 pens in a pack. How many pens in 3 packs? 5 x 3 = 15 pens 3) How many socks are there in 5 pairs? 2 x 5 = 10 socks 4) I download 3 games onto my tablet. The next day I download 7 more. How many have I downloaded? 3 + 7 = 10 games ***Trick problem (this was an addition problem) 5) I buy 5 packs of peanut butter cups. Each pack has 3 cups. How many cups are there in total? 3 x 5 = 15 cups 6) A guitar has 6 strings. How many strings would I need to restring 3 guitars? 6 x 3 = 18 strings 7) I buy 4 packs of ping-pong balls. Each pack has 5 balls. How many balls are there? 4 x 5 = 20 balls Name Date MULTIPLICATION PROBLEMS 2.1C Have a go at solving these multiplication word problems. Can you spot the ‘trick’ problem which is not a multiplication problem? 1) How many legs do 5 dogs have? 2) There are 5 pens in a pack. How many pens in 6 packs? 3) How many socks are there in 8 pairs? 4) I download 13 games onto my tablet. The next day I download 3 more. How many have I downloaded? 5) I buy 8 packs of peanut butter cups. Each pack has 3 cups. How many cups are there in total? 6) A guitar has 6 strings. How many strings would I need to restring 4 guitars? 7) I buy 7 packs of ping-pong balls. Each pack has 5 balls. How many balls are there? Did you spot the trick problem? Name Date MULTIPLICATION PROBLEMS 2.1C ANSWERS 1) How many legs do 5 dogs have? 5 x 4 = 20 legs 2) There are 5 pens in a pack. How many pens in 6 packs? 5 x 6 = 30 pens 3) How many socks are there in 8 pairs? 2 x 8 = 16 socks 4) I download 13 games onto my tablet. The next day I download 3 more. How many have I downloaded? 13 + 3 = 16 games ***Tri

FAQs

What does the worksheet MULTIPLICATION PROBLEMS 2.1A ask students to do?

It asks students to solve seven multiplication word problems. It also asks them to spot the ‘trick’ problem that is not a multiplication problem.

How are the answers provided?

An answers section shows the correct calculation for each question, including the final totals.

What makes the trick problem different?

The trick problem requires addition rather than multiplication, even though it is written like a multiplication scenario.

Oct 22, 2026

Uploaded by 4398046744996