word problem

noun

|Updated on: 9 Jul 2018

Definition of word problem

: a mathematical problem expressed entirely in words typically used as an educational tool

Recent Examples of word problem from the Web

Gone are the days of apples and oranges — the word problems on a recent middle school math test used cocaine, ammunition and tricks for arithmetic practice.

— caroline picard, Good Housekeeping, "Middle School Students Receive Quiz About Prostitution, Drugs and Gangs," 2 June 2016
The Roxana School District, on the other hand, called the word problems examples of poor judgment.

— anne branigin, The Root, "Parents Big Mad Over High School Math Teacher’s Drug-Referencing Homework," 6 Feb. 2018
Sanders also added in a three-minute-long word problem and her best Mariah Carey impersonation.

— anne branigin, The Root, "The Lowlights From the White House’s ‘How to Get Away With Conspiracy Against the US’ Playbook," 30 Oct. 2017
The research involved controlled experiments such as pairing a fun activity (playing a game) with a work task (completing math and word problems).

— demetria gallegos, WSJ, "Work Before Fun? That Might Not Always Be Best," 22 Oct. 2017
Could the Babylonians who lived in what is now Iraq more than 3,700 years ago solve a word problem like this?

— kenneth chang, New York Times, "Hints of Trigonometry on a 3,700-Year-Old Babylonian Tablet," 29 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'word problem.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.