wunder beta

🍎 Solving Two-Step Word Problems

Some story problems have TWO things happen! Learn to solve them one step at a time — do the first part, then the second — so tricky stories become easy.

2
lessons
~15 min
to learn
🔢 Math
subject
Ages 6–12
level
Start the course →

What you’ll learn

  1. Two Things HappenBreak a two-step problem into a first step and a second step, keeping track of the number.Some stories have two events. For '3 apples, buy 2 more, eat 1,' do step one first: 3 + 2 = 5. Then step two: 5 − 1 = 4. The secret is to remember your 'so far' number after step one and carry it into step two.
  2. Solve Step by StepOrder the steps of a two-step problem and solve add-then-subtract stories.The story tells you the order — do what happens first as step one. For '6 toys, get 2 more, give away 3': 6 + 2 = 8, then 8 − 3 = 5. Solve step one, keep your number, then solve step two, and finally say the answer.

Questions this course answers

3 apples, buy 2 more, then eat 1. What is the FIRST step?

The first thing in the story is buying 2 more, so step one is 3 + 2 = 5.

You had 5 apples, then eat 1. How many are left?

5 apples take away 1 eaten leaves 4 apples.

4 birds, 3 more land, then 2 fly off. How many birds now?

Step 1: 4 + 3 = 7. Step 2: 7 − 2 = 5 birds.

6 toys, get 2 more, give away 3. How many toys?

Step 1: 6 + 2 = 8. Step 2: 8 − 3 = 5 toys.

In '5 cookies, bake 3 more, eat 2,' what do you do FIRST?

The story bakes 3 more first, so step one is 5 + 3 = 8.

8 grapes, eat 3, then get 2 more. How many grapes?

Step 1: 8 − 3 = 5. Step 2: 5 + 2 = 7 grapes.

Grounded in trusted sources

  • PBS Kids — early math
  • Khan Academy Kids
  • NAEYC — early math learning
  • Britannica Kids

Every Wunder lesson is built from real, reputable sources — never invented.

Related Math courses

🕵️Breaking Down Word Problems🧮Multi-Step Addition and Subtraction Problems🧺Sorting and Counting🗂️Sorting Data into Categories🍰Splitting Shapes into Equal Parts🔎Spotting Number Patterns🔟Spotting Patterns to Count Faster❌Systems of Equations

Wunder is a personalized learn-anything platform — tell it any topic and it builds a beautiful, fact-checked course in minutes, with narration, a knowledge check, and a college-style University track.

Browse more Math courses · All topics · Home

© 2026 Wunder Learning LLC · Terms & Privacy