Problem Solving
Daily Word Problem
Arcade Games SOL 2.13 and 2.23
Grade 2
Expected Heuristics
Use a picture
Guess and check
The Problem: I would give them grid paper to work on.
The Answer to the Problem:
Started at I, Friend’s house was at D
Possible method or a very brief discussion of the solution:
I first observed all the different letters in the box. I noticed there were only three letters directly
beside each other and all the other letters had empty boxes surrounding them. So, I assumed that
F, I, or J was the answer. I started out at letter I and counted five blocks north because the first
part of the directions says go five blocks north. According to the map north is up, so I counted
five blocks up. Then, the directions say to go three blocks west, which is to the left. I remember
from elementary school that west is to the left because if you were to look at a compass west (w)
and east (e) make we. Next, you are then directed to go four blocks south to your friend’s house.
Since north is up that means south must be down because south is the opposite of north. After I
counted four blocks south I arrived at letter D. I finally figured out the first answer to my
problem. Her friend’s house was located at letter D. The directions then say to go six blocks east.
In order to go six blocks east I must count to the right. I know to count to the right because east
is the opposite of west. After counting the spaces I land on two spaces below the arcade. The last
part of the directions says to go two blocks north to the arcade, which put me right on the arcade.
Since I landed directly on the arcade that means I started from the correct spot. If I did not land
on the arcade after reading through the directions I would have to start again from a different
spot on the map provided because that would not be the correct answer. However, I did land on
the arcade. This would mean Nikki started from letter I. Another way to solve the problem is to
start out at the end of the directions and work your way to the beginning of the directions.
Source of problem:
Tuttle, A., & Tuttle, W. (2001). Daily Word Problems Math. Monterey, CA: Evan-Moor
Educational Publishers.