Clue Hunters Slides
5th Grade Math
Clue Hunters
3 Steps to Understand Any Word Problem
1. Highlight Key Details
2. Identify the Question
3. Organize Information
Read like a detective before you do the math!
Pause Before You Solve!
Good problem solvers do not rush to add or multiply. First, they understand the story.
Step 1
Find the Clues
Highlight important numbers, labels, and action words.
Step 2
Find the Goal
Underline the question so you know what to answer.
Step 3
Sort the Facts
Put your clues into a simple chart before solving.
Step 1
Highlight Key Details
What to Highlight:
- Numbers + Labels (like 24 stickers or 4 boxes)
- Action Words (like shared equally or gave away)
- Skip Extra Info that does not help solve the problem!
Quick Example
Leo has 24 stickers. He wears a blue shirt. He shares them equally among 4 friends.
Tip: "He wears a blue shirt" is extra info—we don't highlight it!
Step 2
Identify the Question
How to Find the Goal:
- Look for the question mark (?) at the end.
- Underline what the problem asks you to find.
- Write an Answer Sentence with a blank space.
The Question
How many stickers does each friend get?
Answer Sentence
Each friend gets stickers.
Step 3
Organize Information
Sort your clues into What I Know and What I Need to Find.
What I Know (Clues)
- Total: 24 stickers
- Groups: 4 friends (equal shares)
What I Need to Find
Number of stickers for 1 friend.
Plan: Divide 24 ÷ 4 = 6 stickers
Let's Try One Together!
Steps 1 & 2
Maya is packing 36 granola bars into boxes. Each box holds 6 bars. She already packed 2 boxes. How many more boxes does she need?
Step 1: Key Details
36 bars total • 6 bars per box • 2 boxes already packed
Step 2: The Question
Maya needs more boxes.
Maya's Granola Bars
Step 3: Organize & Solve
Organize the Clues
Total Needed: 36 bars
Box Size: 6 bars in each box
Already Packed: 2 boxes
Solve Step-by-Step
1. Packed so far: 2 × 6 = 12 bars
2. Bars left: 36 − 12 = 24 bars
3. More boxes: 24 ÷ 6 = 4 boxes
Answer: Maya needs 4 more boxes.
Your Turn, Detectives!
Coach Rivera has $45 to buy soccer cones. Each cone costs $5. He also has 12 soccer balls in his bag. How many cones can he buy?
1. Highlight
Which numbers matter? Which number is extra?
2. Question
Underline the question and say the answer sentence.
3. Organize
Sort what you know, then solve!