Solve word problems with measurements
These are the problems your child will meet outside school: working out change, figuring out how long until practice ends, or how many cups a bottle will fill. They bring multiplying, dividing, fractions, and decimals together in one place. In 5th grade the same kind of problems include more fractions and decimals, and in middle school they lead to rates, such as miles per hour and price per pound.
In this video, your child will learn to solve word problems with measurements.
The lesson stops at each question for your child's answer.
Three problems, each a little harder
Each problem is worked step by step. Your child will solve the last one before Bobby shows how.
Example 1
Ben has $5.00. He buys a book for $3.25. How much money does he have left?
Example 2
Sam has 3 liters of juice. He pours it equally into 4 bottles. How many milliliters are in each bottle?
Your child's turn
A bag of flour weighs 2 kilograms. Malik uses 600 grams for bread. How many grams of flour are left?
The three key steps
- 1Change to the same unit first.
- 2Draw a bar or a number line.
- 3Then +, −, × or ÷ to solve.
Mistakes to listen for
- Subtracting times like ordinary numbers, so 5:20 minus 3:45 becomes 520 − 345 and comes out as 1:75.
- Calculating before converting units, such as dividing 2 liters by 250 milliliters without first changing 2 liters to 2,000 milliliters.
- Lining up money amounts wrongly, treating $6.75 and $5 as 675 and 5, which gives a wildly wrong amount of change.
The lesson shows every step, so your child sees why it works. Read our parent's guide to story problems about distance, time, and money →
Is your child ready to practice what they've learned?
Bobby's Math Club offers unlimited practice for free.
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More 4th grade Measurement & Data, with questions your child answers along the way.
Questions parents ask
Does my child need an account to watch?
No. You can watch this on any device at any time. If your child would like to practice story problems about distance, time, and money, and you'd like parent-friendly reports on your child's progress and growth, you can join Bobby's Math Club for unlimited free practice.
What happens when my child answers a question?
A right answer gets a cheer, and the lesson carries on. If your child isn't sure, they can tap "I don't know yet", and Bobby gives the answer and shows another example. Nothing is scored or stored.
Is this the same lesson that's on YouTube?
Yes. Here, the lesson stops at each question and waits for your child to answer. On YouTube, each question stays on screen for a few seconds, and then the lesson plays on.
Where can I learn more?
There's a short, kid-friendly lesson like this one for every Pre-K to 5th grade math skill, all in our video library. Our parent's guide to story problems about distance, time, and money has more on where kids get stuck and how you can help at home. In the club, your child practices at just the right level, about five minutes a day, and you get parent-friendly reports as they grow. Learn more about how it works →
Practice story problems about distance, time, and money
Questions at your child's level, about five minutes a day, on story problems about distance, time, and money and whatever PK-5 skills they need to develop. Unlimited practice, free forever.
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