Math Word Problems: Distance, Time, Volume, Mass
In this lesson, students will solve different types of word problems. Distance word problems will
involve converting metric units (for example, centimeters to meters). Time word problems will
involve elapsed time (for example, how much time has gone by between 3:30 pm and 5:00
pm?). Mass word problems will involve converting mass units (for example, grams to
kilograms).
Learning Outcomes
After this lesson your child will be able to:
Convert between metric units of distance measurement
Find elapsed time
Convert between metric units of mass
Warm Up
Work through the warm up section below with your children and then try the worksheet
before moving on to the main part of the lesson.
Distance tells you how far apart objects are and is measured in metric units. The chart below
shows you metric distance units from smallest to largest.
Unit Name Unit Abbreviation
Millimeter mm
Centimeter cm
Decimeter (rarely used) dm
Meter m
Kilometer km
Converting metric distances
The chart below shows you common metric conversions.
10 mm = 1 cm 50 mm = 5 cm 3 cm = 30 mm
100 cm = 1 m 500 cm = 5 m 3 m = 300 cm
1,000 m = 1 km 5,000 m = 5 km 3 km = 3,000 m
Elapsed Time
The chart below shows you common time conversions
1 minute 60 seconds
1 hour 60 minutes
Quarter of an hour 15 minutes
Half and hour 30 minutes
Solving Elapsed Time Problems
Break the problem into workable part
3:30 - 5:15
o 3:30 - 4:30 = 1 hour
o 4:30 - 5:00 = 30 minute
o 5:00 - 5:15 = 15 minutes
o Total: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Add minutes to get to a whole hour
3:17 - 5:15
o 3:17 - 4:00 = 43 minutes
o 4:00 - 5:00 = 1 hour
o 5:00 - 5:15 = 15 minutes
o Total: 1 hour, 58 minutes
An hour is only 60 minutes so if you go over 60 minutes, convert into hours and minutes
85 minutes = 85 - 60 (1 hour) = 25 minutes left over minutes
Total: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Mass
Mass is the amount of material in an object. Mass is not weight! Weight is how heavy an object
is and can be affected by forces such as gravity. You may weigh less on the moon, where there
no gravity but your mass is the same!
The chart below shows you the metric mass units from smallest to largest.
Unit Name Unit Abbreviation
Milligram mg
Centigram (rarely used) cg
Decigram (rarely used) dg
Gram g
Kilogram kg
Operations and Key Words in Word Problems
The chart below shows common operations ( + , - , x , ÷ ) and associated key words that are
found in many math word problems.
Add Subtract Multiply Divide
Total Difference Each Each
In all Less than Row Split
How many
Together/ All together
more
And
Sum
Example 1 of 6: Distance Word Problem
John rode {2 kilometers} on his bike. His sister Sally rode {3000 meters} on her bike. Who rode
the farthest and how much farther did they ride (answer in km)?
Step 1: Underline important information and {bracket} important numbers.
Step 2: Ask: What is this question asking me to do? (Determine who rode the farthest and by
how much).
Step 3: When going from a large unit to a small unit, you multiply. When going from a small
unit to a large unit, you divide.
Step 4: Since the question is asking for the answer in km, convert Sally’s distance to km: 3,000 m
= 3 km because there are 1,000 m in 1 km; 2,000 m in 2 km etc.
Step 5: Solve: Sally rode farther because she rode 3 km and John only rode 2 km. Subtract to find
the difference: 3km - 2km = 1 km.
Example 2 of 6: Distance Word Problem
Jessica is measuring two line segments. The first line segment is {30 cm long}. The second line
segment is {500 mm long}. How long are the two line segments together? (answer in cm)
Step 1: Underline key words and {bracket} important numbers.
Step 2: Ask: What is this question asking me to do? (Find the length of both line segments
together).
Step 3: Since the line segments are in different units, convert mm into cm. 500 mm = 50 cm
because there are 10 mm in 1 cm, 20 mm in 2 cm, 30 mm in 3 cm, 40 mm in 4 cm etc.
Step 4: Add to solve since together is an addition word (50 cm + 30 cm = 80 cm)
Example 3 of 6: Elapsed Time Word Problem
Steven wakes up for school at {6:30} in the morning. If school starts at {8:00} am, how long does
he have from the time he wakes up until school starts?
Step 1: Underline key words/phrases and bracket important numbers.
Step 2: Ask: What is this question asking me to do? (find the elapsed time between wake up and
the start of school).
Step 3: Find the number of minutes between partial hours (6:30) to the next whole hour (7:00)
6:30 - 7:00 = 30 minutes
Step 4: Find the amount of time between whole hours 7:00 - 8:00 = 1 hour
Step 5: Add the hours and minutes (hours always come first) 1 hour, 30 minutes
Elapsed time is an easy skill to practice at home. Suppose your children asks"What time dinner will be
served?" You can say, "It's 4:30 now, dinner will be ready at 6:00. That is 1 hour and 30 minutes from
now." Explain to them how you solved the problem.
Example 4 of 6: Elapsed Time Word Problem
Stephanie and her best friend Brianne went to see a movie. It started at {1:45} and ended at
{4:00}. How long was the movie?
Step 1: Underline key words/ phrases and bracket important numbers.
Step 2: Ask: What is this question asking me to do? (find the elapsed time between the start and
end of the movie).
Step 3: Find the number of minutes from 1:45 to the next whole hour (2:00). 45 + 15 = 60 so
there are 15 minutes until 2:00
Step 4: Find the amount of time between 2:00 and 4:00 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 = 2 hours
Step 5: Add the hours and minutes (hours always come first) 2 hours, 15 minutes
Remind your children to count minutes first, then hours. If the minutes go over 60, they must convert
these into hours, and minutes. For example, 75 minutes equals 1 hour, 15 minutes.
Converting Metric Mass Units
Milligrams (mg) is the smallest commonly used mass unit and kilograms (kg) is the largest.
1,000 mg = 1 g; 1,000 g = 1 kg
When going from a small unit to a large unit, you divide:.
o Convert 5,000 milligrams into grams.
5,000 ÷ 1,000 = 5 g
When going from a large unit to a small unit, you multiply:
o Convert 7 kilograms into grams?
7 x 1,000 = 7,000 g
Example 5 of 6: Metric Mass Units Word Problem
Ezra's stuffed animal has a mass of {300 grams}. How many milligrams is the stuffed animal?
Step 1: Underline the important information and bracket the numbers.
Step 2: Decide whether you convert the units by multiplying or dividing.
Step 3: Remember that grams are larger than milligrams so you multiply. 300 x 1,000 = 300,000
mg
Example 6 of 6 :Metric Mass Units Word Problem
Skylar goes to a pumpkin patch and picks out a pumpkin that has a mass {6,000 grams}. How
many kilograms is the pumpkin?
Step 1: Underline the important information and bracket the numbers.
Step 2: Decide whether you convert the units by multiplying or dividing.
Step 3: Remember that grams are smaller than kilograms so you divide. 6,000 ÷ 1,000 = 6 kg
Recap
Word Problems
o Bracket numbers and underline important information
o Determine what the question is asking you to do
Converting Metric Units
o When going from a large unit to a small unit, you multiply
o When going from a small unit to a large unit, you divide
Elapsed Time
o Bring minutes to the whole hour
o Count whole hours
o Add hours and minutes
