Solve Word Problems with

Two-Digit Numbers
Dear Family, 9
This week your child is learning to solve
one-step problems by adding and subtracting
two-digit numbers.
Consider this word problem: Jacinda has 15 pieces of sea glass in her collection.
She goes to the beach and collects some more, and now she has 32 pieces of sea glass.
How many pieces of sea glass does Jacinda collect at the beach?

You can think of problems like this as you start

with a number, change happens, and you end
with a total. To solve the problem above, you
need to find the change that happens.

This can be modeled in different ways to help

write and solve equations.

total total

start change start change

See how you can use a bar model to represent and solve the problem at the top of
the page.

32 15 1 ? 5 32
32 2 15 5 ?
32 2 15 5 17
15 ?

Jacinda collects 17 pieces of sea glass at the beach.

Invite your child to share what he or she knows about solving one-step problems by
doing the following activity together.

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 211
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
 ACTIVITY  Solving Word Problems With
Two-Digit Numbers
Do this activity with your child to solve word problems with two-digit numbers.

Materials pen and paper, index cards (optional), scissors (optional)

• Help your child to create word problem cards by cutting out the prompts
below or writing the prompts on index cards.

• Ask your child to pick two numbers and one category card.

• Ask your child to come up with an addition or subtraction word problem

involving the numbers and category. For example, if your child chose 25, 42,
and pencils, he or she might say: Mike has 42 pencils and buys 25 more pencils.
How many pencils does he have now?

• Then ask your child to solve the word problem he or she created.

• Work with your child to create and solve 5 more word problems, picking
combinations of numbers and categories each time.

38 17 Books Rocks
29 40 Apples Balls
16 25 Seashells Stamps
42 11 Pencils People

212 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 SESSION 1

Explore Solving Word Problems with

Two-Digit Numbers
You know how to solve word problems with one-digit Learning Target
• Use addition and subtraction within
numbers. Use what you know to try to solve the 100 to solve one- and two-step
problem below. word problems involving situations
of adding to, taking from, putting
together, taking apart, and
comparing, with unknowns in all
Mr. Soto’s students can trade 75 milk caps for positions.

school supplies. They have 49 milk caps. How SMP 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8

many more do they need to get to 75?

TRY IT Math Toolkit

• connecting cubes
• base-ten blocks
• bar models
• hundred charts
• open number lines

DISCUSS IT
Ask your partner:
How did you get
started?
Tell your partner:
At first, I thought . . .

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 213
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 EXPLORE SESSION 1

CONNECT IT
1 LOOK BACK
How many more milk caps does the class need?

2 LOOK AHEAD
Marta has 38 stickers. Tia gives her more stickers. Now
Marta has 93 stickers. How many stickers does Tia give
to Marta?
a. You can use a model to help find how many stickers
Tia gives Marta. Complete the model.

93

38

b. You can also use equations to show how many

stickers Tia gives Marta. Complete the equations.

38 + = 93 93 – 38 =

3 REFLECT
Explain how you find the number of stickers Tia starts
with if she has 27 left now.

214 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
Name: LESSON 9 SESSION 1

Prepare for Solving Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers

1 Think about what you know about word problems.

Fill in each box. Use words, numbers, and pictures.
Show as many ideas as you can.

What Is It? What I Know About It

model

Examples Examples Examples

2 Elena has 43 marbles. She gives 17 marbles to her 43

friend. Does the model at the right help her find how
many marbles she has left? Why or why not? ?
17

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 215
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 SESSION 1

3 Solve the problem. Show your work.

Drew needs 55 bar codes to enter a contest.
He has 32 bar codes. How many more bar
codes does he need to get to 55?

Solution
4 Check your answer. Show your work.

216 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 SESSION 2

Develop Ways to Model Word Problems

Read and try to solve the problem below.

Todd plays a game. The table shows his points.

Level 1 ?
Level 2 16 points
Total 55 points

How many points does Todd get in Level 1?

TRY IT
Math Toolkit
• base-ten blocks
• number bonds
• bar models
• hundred charts
• open number lines

DISCUSS IT
Ask your partner:
Can you explain
that again?
Tell your partner:
The strategy I used
to find the answer
was . . .

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 217
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 DEVELOP

Explore different ways to understand modeling

word problems.

Todd plays a game. The table shows his points.

Level 1 ?
Level 2 16 points
Total 55 points

How many points does Todd get in Level 1?

Picture It
You can draw a bar model.
55

? 16

Model It
You can use an addition equation.
Level 1 Level 2 Total
1 5
Score Score Score

? 1 16 5 55

Model It
You can use a subtraction equation.
Total Level 2 Level 1
2 5
Score Score Score

55 2 16 5 ?

218 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
 SESSION 2

Connect It
Now you will use the problem from the previous page
to help you understand how to model word problems.
1 Look at the second Model It. Write a different
subtraction equation that you could use to solve
the problem.

2 5
2 Show how to solve the problem from the previous
page on an open number line. Then write your answer.

Solution
3 How did you make your number line in problem 2?
What is another way to find the answer?

4 REFLECT
Look back at your Try It, strategies by classmates, and
Picture It and Model Its. Which models or strategies
do you like best for modeling a word problem? Explain.

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 219
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 DEVELOP SESSION 2

Apply It
Use what you just learned to solve these problems.
5 Matt has 72 sports cards. Then he buys more cards.
Now he has 90 cards. How many more cards does Matt
buy? Show your work.

Solution
6 Neve has some flowers. Then she picks 18 more
flowers. Now she has 43 flowers. How many flowers
does Neve have at the start? Show your work.

Solution
7 Shari has a new camera. She takes 27 pictures on
Monday. She takes 35 pictures on Tuesday. Which
equations could you solve to find how many pictures
Shari takes on the two days?
A ? 5 27 1 35
B ? 5 35 2 27
C ? 5 35 1 27
D ? 2 35 5 27
E 35 2 ? 5 27

220 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
Name: LESSON 9 SESSION 2

Practice Ways to Model Word Problems

Study the Example showing how to use equations to solve word
problems. Then solve problems 1–6.

EXAMPLE
Ted has some beads. Then he gets 18 more beads.
Now Ted has 42 beads. How many beads does Ted
have to begin with?
Use addition:      or Use subtraction:
start 1 change 5 total total 2 change 5 start
? 1 18 5 42 42 2 18 5 ?
? 5 24
Ted has 24 beads to begin with.

Mrs. Tate has some fish in her fish tank. She buys
25 more fish. Now there are 73 fish in the fish tank.
1 Complete the model and the equations to show how
many fish are in the fish tank at the start.
?
?1 5

2 5?
2 How many fish are in the fish tank at the start?
Show your work.

Solution

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 221
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 SESSION 2

Mrs. Lopez drives a number of miles north. Then she

drives 34 miles west. She drives 93 miles in all.
3 Complete the equations to show how many miles
Mrs. Lopez drives north.

?1 5 and 2 5?
4 Complete the open number line.
Then solve the problem. Show 50
your work.
34 40 93

Mrs. Lopez drives miles north.

Stella has some cards. Then she makes 13 more

cards. Now she has 41 cards.
5 How many cards does Stella start with?
Show your work.

Solution
6 Write and solve a problem like problem 5.
Use different numbers.

222 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 SESSION 3

Develop More Ways to Model Word Problems

Read and try to solve the problem below.

Some books are on a shelf. Students take

24 books from the shelf. Then there are 38 books
on the shelf. How many books are on the shelf to
begin with?

TRY IT Math Toolkit

• base-ten blocks
• number bonds
• bar models
• hundred charts
• open number lines

DISCUSS IT
Ask your partner:
How did you choose
that strategy?
Tell your partner:
I disagree with this
part because . . .

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 223
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 DEVELOP

Explore more ways to understand modeling

word problems.

Some books are on a shelf. Students take

24 books from the shelf. Then there are 38 books
on the shelf. How many books are on the shelf to
begin with?

Model It
You can show the problem with words.

total books

books taken books left

away on the shelf

Model It
You can show the problem with numbers.

24 38

224 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
 SESSION 3

Connect It
Now you will use the problem from the previous page
to help you understand more ways to model and solve
word problems.
1 Look at the second Model It. Write an addition
equation and a subtraction equation for the problem.

5 1    2 5
2 Write a different addition equation that you could use
to solve the problem.

1 5
3 What is the total number of books on the shelf to
begin with? Show your work.

4 REFLECT
Look back at your Try It, strategies by classmates,
and Model Its. Which models or strategies do you like
best for modeling word problems? Explain.

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 225
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 DEVELOP SESSION 3

Apply It
Use what you just learned to solve these problems.
5 Students help clean the park. At noon, 33 students go
home. Now there are 48 students cleaning the park.
How many students helped at the start?
Show your work.

Solution
6 55 people are in a red train car. 29 people are in a blue
train car. How many fewer people are in the blue train
car than the red train car? Show your work.

Solution
7 First explain how to model the problem below using
words. Then explain how to model it using numbers.
Kevin picks some apples. He uses 24 of the apples to
make pies. He has 19 apples left. How many apples
does Kevin pick?

226 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
Name: LESSON 9 SESSION 3

Practice More Ways to Model Word Problems

Study the Example showing how to model with words and
numbers. Then solve problems 1–6.

Example
There are some ducks in a pond. Then 17 ducks fly away. Now
there are 45 ducks in the pond. How many ducks are in the
pond at the start?
Model the problem with words or with numbers. Then write
an equation.

ducks at
start: ?

ducks that
ducks left: 45
fly away: 17

17 1 45 5 62
There are 62 ducks to begin with.

Rick has some grapes. Rick eats 15 of the

grapes. Then he has 19 grapes left.
1 Complete the number bond at the right to model ?
the problem.
2 How many grapes does Rick start with?
Show your work.

Solution
©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 227
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 SESSION 3

A sports store sells baseball bats. In one week,

34 bats are sold. Then the store has 46 bats left.
How many bats does the store have to begin with?
3 Model the problem with words. Complete
the number bond at the right.
4 Solve the problem. Show your work. bats sold

Solution
There are 41 people waiting at a bus stop. Then
23 of them get on a bus. Now there are 39 people
on the bus.
5 How many people are still waiting at the bus stop
now? Show your work.

Solution
6 How many people were on the bus to begin with?
Show your work.

Solution

228 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 SESSION 4

Develop Ways to Solve Two-Step Word Problems

Read and try to solve the problem below.

Gabi collects 25 eggs. Her brother collects

13 eggs. Then they sell 18 eggs. How many
eggs do they have now?

TRY IT

Math Toolkit
• base-ten blocks
• number bonds
• bar models
• hundred charts
• open number lines

DISCUSS IT
Ask your partner:
Do you agree with
me? Why or why
not?
Tell your partner:
At first, I thought . . .

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 229
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 DEVELOP

Explore different ways to understand how to solve

two-step word problems.

Gabi collects 25 eggs. Her brother collects 13 eggs.

Then they sell 18 eggs. How many eggs do they
have now?

Picture It
You can draw a picture of each step.
Step 1: 25 eggs 1 13 eggs

Step 2: 38 eggs 2 18 eggs sold

Model It
You can make a model of each step.
Step 1: Step 2: 38
25 13

18 ?
38

230 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
 SESSION 4

Connect It
Now you will use the problem from the previous page
to help you understand how to solve two-step word
problems using equations.
1 Look at Picture It. Write an equation for Step 1.

1 5
2 Look at Model It. Write an equation for Step 2.

2 5
3 How many eggs do Gabi and her brother

have now?
4 How can you tell if a problem needs two steps
to solve?

5 REFLECT
Look back at your Try It, strategies by classmates, and
Picture It and Model It. Which models or strategies do
you like best for solving two-step word problems? Explain.

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 231
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 DEVELOP SESSION 4

Apply It
Use what you just learned to solve these problems.
6 Finn has 57 markers. He gives 15 markers to his
brother. Then he gets 22 new markers. How many
markers does Finn have now? Show your work.

Finn has markers now.

7 There are two bottles of juice that each hold Step 1:
32 fluid ounces. Julia’s family drinks 48 fluid ounces
of juice. How many fluid ounces are left?
Complete the bar models.

There are fluid ounces of juice left.

8 Anton sells 65 tickets to the play. He sells 32 on Step 2:
Monday and 26 on Tuesday. Choose Yes or No to tell
which equations can be used in a step to find how
many tickets Anton sells on Wednesday.

Yes No
33 2 26 5 7 A B
65 1 32 5 97 C D
97 2 26 5 71 E F
65 2 32 5 33 G H

232 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
Name: LESSON 9 SESSION 4

Practice Ways to Solve Two-Step Word Problems

Study the Example showing one way to solve a two-step word
problem. Then solve problems 1–4.

Example 52
Mariel makes 52 fruit cups for field day. She hands
out 34 fruit cups. Then she makes 15 more fruit cups. 34 18
How many fruit cups does Mariel have now?
Step 1: 52 fruit cups – 34 fruit cups = 18 fruit cups 18 15
Step 2: 
18 fruit cups + 15 fruit cups = 33 fruit cups
Mariel has 33 fruit cups now. 33

1 Gabe has 68 building blocks. He gets 27 more building

blocks. Then he uses 73 building blocks to make a
barn. How many building blocks does Gabe have left?
Show your work. Complete the bar models.

Gabe has building blocks left.

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 233
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 SESSION 4

2 Amy finds 45 leaves. Nell finds 23 fewer leaves

than Amy. How many leaves do they find in all?
Complete the equations for each step.

Step 1: 45 23 =

Step 2: 45 + =

Amy and Nell have leaves in all.

3 There are 38 students on the bus. Then 16 more
students get on the bus. At the first stop, 19 students
get off the bus. How many students are on the
bus now?
Complete the bar models. Show your work.

Solution
4 Mr. King has 75 copies of the parent letter. He gives
27 letters to Ms. Ruiz for her class to take home. Then
he gives 25 letters to Mr. Allen for his class. Are there
enough letters left for the 25 children in Mrs. Park’s
class? Explain. Show your work.

234 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 SESSION 5

Refine Solving Word Problems with

Two-Digit Numbers
Complete the Example below. Then solve problems 1−3.

EXAMPLE
Keesha’s math test score is 95. John’s score is 13 points
less than Keesha’s score. What is John’s score?
You can show your work on an open number line.
Keesha’s score 2 13 5 John’s score    95 2 13 5 ?
3 10

82 85 95

Solution

Apply It
1 There are 22 people on a train. More people get on Can you make a
at the next stop. Now there are 51 people on the model to help you
train. How many people get on at the stop? Show think about the
your work. problem?

Solution
©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 235
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 REFINE SESSION 5

2 47 small dogs and 33 big dogs win a red ribbon in How many dogs win
the pet show. 28 dogs win a blue ribbon. How a red ribbon?
many more dogs win a red ribbon than a blue
ribbon? Show your work.

more dogs win a red ribbon.

3 Liz makes 42 jumps with a jump rope. Tia makes Which girl makes
17 fewer jumps. How many jumps does Tia make? more jumps?
A 24
B 25
C 35
D 59

Ramin chose B as the correct answer. How did

Ramin get his answer?

236 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
Name: LESSON 9 SESSION 5

Practice Solving Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers

1 Carlos sells 32 muffins at a bake sale. Jake sells Who sells more
25 fewer muffins. How many muffins does muffins?
Jake sell?
Choose Yes or No to tell if the equation can be used
to solve the problem.

Yes No
25 1 ? 5 32 A B
25 1 32 5 ? C D
32 2 ? 5 25 E F
32 2 25 5 ? G H
Can you draw a
2 Some beads are in a box. Anne uses 17 of them. model to help you
Then there are 56 beads in the box. How many think about the
beads are in the box to begin with? problem?
A 79
B 73
C 39
D 29

Dave chose C as the correct answer. How did Dave

get his answer?

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 237
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 SESSION 5

3 The table shows how many roses of each color Can you write an
a store has for sale. addition equation?
Can you write a
Red roses 65 subtraction
Yellow roses 43 equation?
White roses ?

There are 26 fewer white roses than yellow roses.

How many red and white roses does the store have
in all? Show your work.

Solution
4 The store has 43 yellow roses. Chen buys some What do you know?
yellow roses. Then the store has 29 yellow roses left. What are you trying
How many yellow roses does Chen buy? to find out?
A 12
B 14
C 36
D 72
5 There are 23 solid shirts and 18 striped shirts on a Do you add or
rack. How many shirts are on the rack? subtract to solve
A 5 the problem?

B 15
C 41
D 43

238 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 SESSION 6

Refine Solving Word Problems with

Two-Digit Numbers
Solve the problems.
1 Ty reads 47 pages of a book. Meg reads 56 pages.
How many more pages does Meg read than Ty?
Which equations can you use to solve this problem?
A 56 1 ? 5 47
B 47 1 ? 5 56
C 56 5 47 1 ?
D 56 2 ? 5 47
2 A beagle weighs 26 pounds. A pug weighs
8 pounds less than the beagle. How many pounds
does the pug weigh?
A 34
B 20
C 18
D 13
3 Sara has 52 pens. She puts them into two cups.
Complete each equation to show some of the ways
Sara could put all of her pens into the two cups.

1 5 52    1 5 52

1 5 52    1 5 52

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted. Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers 239
Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.
LESSON 9 REFINE SESSION 6

4 There are 64 balls and 58 bats in the gym. How many

more balls are there than bats?
Can the equation be used to solve the problem?

Yes No
58 1 ? 5 64 A B
64 2 58 5 ? C D
64 1 58 5 ? E F
64 2 ? 5 58 G H

5 There are 100 people in line for the roller coaster.

42 people get on the roller coaster. Then 30 more
people get into the line. How many people are in
line now?
A 12
B 28
C 72
D 88

6 MATH JOURNAL
Write a word problem using the numbers 23 and 59.
Then solve your problem.

SELF CHECK Go back to the Unit 2 Opener and see what you can check off.

240 Lesson 9 Solve Word Problems with Two-Digit Numbers ©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

Authorized for use by school personnel only. This resource expires on 6/30/2022.