Solving an Equation from a Word Problem - Using Addition and Subtraction to Find Unknowns

Sep 30, 2026

Practice set focused on solving simple equations derived from word problems using addition and subtraction. Students answer how many items or quantities remain to be added or measured, such as photos, chocolate chips, walnuts, beads, marbles, seeds, dollars, and grams of raisins. Each problem provides a total and an already-known amount, then requires forming an equation with an unknown variable and computing the missing value. An answer key supplies the final results for questions 1–8.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Word Problem Equations

Photos, Chocolate Chips, and Walnuts

Beads, Marbles, and Seeds

Raisins and Money

Solving an Equation from a Word Problem (+ -) Name: | Use the equation to answer each question.
1) Debby is filling a scrapbook. She wants a total of 80 photos in it. She has already placed 16 photos. This equation can be used to find the number of photos, c, Debby still needs to add.
16 + c = 80
How many more photos does Debby still need to add?
3) Vanessa is preparing brownies. In all she needs 60 ounces of chocolate chips. So far she has measured out 24 ounces of chocolate chips. This equation can be used to find the number of ounces of chocolate chips, c, Vanessa still needs to measure.
24 + c = 60
How many more ounces of chocolate chips does Vanessa need to measure?
5) Janet is filling bird feeders with walnuts. She needs a total of 72 ounces of walnuts. She has already poured in 16 ounces of walnuts. This equation can be used to find the number of ounces of walnuts, c, Janet still needs.
16 + c = 72
How many ounces of walnuts does Janet still need?
7) Sam is saving money for a bike. He needs a total of 72 dollars. He has already saved 48 dollars. This equation can be used to find the number of dollars, c, Sam still needs to save.
48 + c = 72
How many more dollars does Sam still need to save? | 2)
4)
6)
8) | Olivia is stringing beads for a craft project. She needs a total of 84 beads. She has already strung 64 beads. This equation can be used to find the number of beads, c, Olivia still needs.
64 + c = 84
How many more beads does Olivia still need?
Maria owned 45 marbles. She lost some of them on the playground. Now she has 38 marbles left. This equation can be used to find the number of marbles, s, Maria lost.
45 − s = 38
How many marbles did Maria lose?
Dave planted some seeds on Saturday. He planted 15 more seeds on Sunday. Altogether he planted 61 seeds. This equation can be used to find the number of seeds, p, Dave planted on Saturday.
p + 15 = 61
How many seeds did Dave plant on Saturday?
Carol is filling a bird feeder. She needs a total of 48 grams of raisins. She has already added 40 grams of raisins. This equation can be used to find the number of grams of raisins, c, Carol still needs.
40 + c = 48
How many grams of raisins does Carol still need? | | | 1.
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8. | | Answers | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1-8 | | | 88 | 75 | 63 | 50 | | 38 | 25 | 13 | 0 | [Math](Math www.CommonCoreSheets.com 6)[ www.CommonCoreSheets.com](Math www.CommonCoreSheets.com 6)[ 6](Math www.CommonCoreSheets.com 6) Solving an Equation from a Word Problem (+ -) Name: Answer Key | Use the equation to answer each question.
1) Debby is filling a scrapbook. She wants a total of 80 photos in it. She has already placed 16 photos. This equation can be used to find the number of photos, c, Debby still needs to add.
16 + c = 80
How many more photos does Debby still need to add?
3) Vanessa is preparing brownies. In all she needs 60 ounces of chocolate chips. So far she has measured out 24 ounces of chocolate chips. This equation can be used to find the number of ounces of chocolate chips, c, Vanessa still needs to measure.
24 + c = 60
How many more ounces of chocolate chips does Vanessa need to measure?
5) Janet is filling bird feeders with walnuts. She needs a total of 72 ounces of walnuts. She has already poured in 16 ounces of walnuts. This equation can be used to find the number of ounces of walnuts, c, Janet still needs.
16 + c = 72
How many ounces of walnuts does Janet still need?
7) Sam is saving money for a bike. He needs a tot

FAQs

How are the equations formed from the word problems?

Each problem states a total amount and an already-known amount. Students form an equation by adding the unknown to the known total (e.g., 16 + c = 80) or subtracting the unknown from the total (e.g., 45 − s = 38).

What does the variable (like c, s, or p) represent?

The variable represents the missing quantity the student must find, such as how many more photos to add or how many marbles were lost.

What kinds of answers are expected for each question?

The expected answer is the numeric value of the missing quantity, shown in the answer key for questions 1 through 8.

Sep 30, 2026

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