Solving Subtraction Word Problems Using Bar Models

MatholiaChannel

This educational video demonstrates how to solve mathematical word problems using bar models and column subtraction with numbers up to 10,000. It presents two distinct real-world scenarios: calculating the profit earned by an art dealer and determining the number of Sunday visitors to a botanical garden based on weekend totals. Each example follows a structured approach of reading the problem, visualizing it with a bar model to identify the unknown value, and performing the necessary calculation. The video explores key mathematical themes including part-whole relationships, the concept of "difference," and the practical application of subtraction in financial and statistical contexts. It specifically reinforces the vertical subtraction algorithm with regrouping (borrowing) across place values. The use of bar models serves as a crucial bridge between the text of the word problem and the abstract arithmetic required to solve it. For educators, this resource is an excellent tool for scaffolding instruction on word problems, which are often a stumbling block for students. The step-by-step visualization helps students understand *why* subtraction is the correct operation before they begin calculating. It is particularly useful for introducing the Singapore Math method of bar modeling or for reviewing subtraction with larger numbers in 3rd and 4th-grade classrooms.