Maths Library

Word Problems: Four Operations: Year 5 maths

Apply addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to contextual real-world scenarios. Worksheets challenge pupils to identify the correct operations and solve multi-step problems.

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What this covers

Word Problems: Four Operations is taught in Year 5 (age 9 to 10, KS2) as a main teaching focus. It sits in the Number strand.

Worked example

A school buys 4 boxes of pens with 25 pens in each box. If 15 pens are given away, how many pens remain

  1. Find total pens bought: 4 × 25 = 100
  2. Subtract pens given away: 100 - 15 = 85

Answer: 85

Difficulty scale

The sheet generator offers five difficulty settings for this topic.

  1. Single-step word problems with integers up to 100
  2. Two-step word problems involving combinations of addition and subtraction
  3. Two-step problems combining multiplication or division with addition or subtraction
  4. Multi-step problems requiring three operations or interpreting remainders in context
  5. Complex multi-step problems involving decimals, money, or hidden constraints

Common mistakes

  • Selecting operations purely from keywords (e.g. assuming 'more' always means addition)
  • Solving only the first step of a multi-step problem and recording an incomplete answer

Curriculum links

Indicative matches to National Curriculum for England. Check wording and codes against the official document.

  • Solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and a combination of these.

Sample sheet and answers

Six questions at the level's usual difficulty. Open the editor to change, add or regenerate any of them.

Word Problems: Four Operations

Year 5 maths

Qs
6
Marks
24
NameDateScore / 24
1.
There are 9 bags with 19 coins in each. How many coins are there altogether?
[4]
2.
Priya has 72 beads and gives away 9. How many are left?
[4]
3.
Noah shares 24 stickers equally between 4 friends. How many does each friend get?
[4]
4.
There are 9 bags with 8 marbles in each. How many marbles are there altogether?
[4]
5.
Noah shares 30 shells equally between 5 friends. How many does each friend get?
[4]
6.
Asha shares 75 stickers equally between 5 friends. How many does each friend get?
[4]

Answer key

  1. 1719 × 19 = 171
  2. 63Subtract: 72 − 9 = 63
  3. 624 ÷ 4 = 6
  4. 729 × 8 = 72
  5. 630 ÷ 5 = 6
  6. 1575 ÷ 5 = 15