Problem Solving Strategies
Year 5 students apply a range of problem-solving strategies — including working backwards, drawing diagrams, finding patterns, and making tables — to multi-step problems.
What You Need to Know
Key Concept Diagram
Working backwards starts at the answer and reverses each step to find the starting value
Drawing a diagram helps make abstract problems visual and easier to understand
Finding a pattern involves identifying repeated relationships to extend or predict values
Making a table organises information systematically so all cases can be checked
Key Vocabulary
Strategy
A planned approach or method for solving a problem
Working backwards
Starting from a known result and reversing operations to find the beginning
Conjecture
An educated guess or prediction based on patterns observed
Generalise
To find a rule that works for all cases in a pattern or problem
Knowledge Check
Select the correct answer for each question. Click "Check Answer" to see if you are right.
Question 1
Sam has some stickers. He gives half to Mia, then receives 5 more and now has 17. How many did he start with?
Question 2
A pattern starts 2, 5, 8, 11, … What is the 10th term?
Question 3
A rectangle has perimeter 36 cm. Its length is twice its width. What is the width?
Key Concepts Summary
- ●Working backwards starts at the answer and reverses each step to find the starting value
- ●Drawing a diagram helps make abstract problems visual and easier to understand
- ●Finding a pattern involves identifying repeated relationships to extend or predict values
- ●Making a table organises information systematically so all cases can be checked