FAST DRAW Strategy in Action: Solving Math Word Problems

The FAST method helps us break down word problems into manageable steps.Let's practice with this word problem about Sarah and Tom's marbles.First, we find what we're solving for. Here, we need to find Tom's number of marbles.Next, we ask ourselves what information is given in the problem.For step three, we set up our problem-solving strategy.Finally, we turn the words into a mathematical equation.Let's review some common keywords that help us identify mathematical operations.Now that we understand the FAST steps, let's move on to the DRAW portion of our method.After solving a problem, it's crucial to verify your solution using multiple methods.Let's look at our example problem about notebook prices.Here's our solution. We multiplied two dollars and fifty cents by six to get fifteen dollars.The first verification method is working backwards. Divide fifteen dollars by six to check if we get back to our original price.We can also estimate to check reasonableness. Rounding two fifty up to three dollars makes the mental math easier.As we verify each aspect, we can check it off our list.Let's review some common pitfalls to avoid when verifying solutions.Now let's see a complete example with all verification steps.Remember to always verify your solutions using multiple methods to ensure accuracy.