Block Model Approach

by: Nino Jose P. de Guzman, MA Math Education

Solving Word Problems Using the Block Model Approach

The model approach is considered as the most effective strategy in solving word
problems. It concretizes the problem situation to a more meaningful and real life
experience and thereby improves and master students’ needed skills to solve problems.
Steps for this approach are as follows:
1. Read and understand the question. Then draw bars to represent the problem
situations.
2. Label the diagrams with all the relevant information.
3. Using the diagram, equate the number of units to a quantity to form a proportion
statement. The value of the quantity may be given or obtained by computing
some given figures in the questions.
4. Use the unitary or proportion method to get the answer.

Grade 1 Number Bonds (Addition and Subtraction as Inverse Operations)

and Part - Whole Model

Basic Models Illustrations

1. The parts are given while the whole is known known
unknown.
?

2. One of the parts of the whole is missing.

known ?

known

Example 1 Agnes has 6 candies and Bella has 10 candies, how many candies do
they have altogether?
Agnes 6 6 10
?
Bella 10 ?
or
6 + 10 = 16
They have 16 candies in all.

Example 2 Nico and Kris shared P 15. Nico has P 8, how much is the share of Kris?
Nico 8 8 ?
15
Kris ? 15
or
15 – 8 =7
Kris has P 7.
Grade 2 Multiplication and Division as Inverse Operations

Example 1 Celia has 4 apples. Diana has 3 times more apples than Celia. How many
apples do they have altogether?
1 unit → 4
Celia 4
4 units→ 4 x 4 = 16
?
Diana
They have 16 apples in all.

Example 2 Robert and Samuel shared 35 marbles. The number of marbles of Robert
was four times as Samuel’s. How many marbles did each boy have?

5 units → 35
Samuel
1 unit→ 35 ÷ 5 = 7
35
Samuel has 7 marbles.
Robert
4 units → 4 x 7 = 28

? Robert has 28 marbles.

Grade 3 Sum and Difference Word Problems

Example 1 The sum of two numbers is 31 and their difference is 7. What are
the numbers?
31 – 7 = 24
2 units = 24
1st number 7
24 ÷ 2 = 12
31 1 unit = 12 – the 1st number
2nd number 12 + 7 = 19 – the 2nd number
Therefore the numbers are 12 and 19.

Example 2 The cost of an apple and orange is P48. The orange cost P4 more than an
apple. Find the cost of an orange?

48 – 4 = 44
4 2 units = 44
apple
48 44 ÷ 2 = 22
orange
1 unit = P 22 – the price of an apple
22 + 4 = P 26 – the price of a orange
Therefore the price of an apple and an orange is
P 22 and P 26 respectively.
Grade 4 Variation of Number Operations

Example 1 Pilar has P 16 more than Rhea. Rhea has P 10 more than Soledad. The
total amount of their money is P 336. How much money does each of
them have?
?
336 – 16 – 10 – 10 = 300
300 ÷ 3 = 100
Pilar 10 16
Soledad has P 100
?
100 + 10 = 110
Rhea 10 336
Rhea has P 110
Soledad ? 110 + 16 = 126

Pilar has P 126.

Example 2 Patrick’s savings is thrice as much as Oscar’s. Theodore’s savings is

twice as much as Patrick’s. Patrick saves P 250 more than Oscar. How
much do they save altogether?

2 units → 250
Oscar 250 I unit → 250 ÷ 2 = 125
10 units → 10 x 125 = 1 250
?
Patrick
They save P 1 250 in all.
Theodore

Grade 5 Working Backwards and Transfer Problems

Three characteristics of working backwards problems are:

1. we start with something we do not know,
2. the end answer is given to us,
3. the problems will go through a series of operations.

Example 1 During the shopping trip, Cindy spent half of her money in the first shop.
She spent P 200 more than half of her remaining money in the second
shop. She was left with P 3 000 in the end. How much money did Cindy at
first? (working backwards)
 spent left 1 unit → 200 + 3 000 = 3 200
4 units → 4 x 3 200 = 12 800

She had P 12 800 at first.

3 000
200
1 unit

Example 2 There were 36 cars in car park A and car park B altogether. 4 cars drove
out from car park A. 6 cars drove out from car park B to car park A. The
number of cars in car park A was three times of those in car park B. How
many cars were there in car park A and car park B at first? (transfer
problem)

Before

A 4 36 – 4 = 32
36 4 units →32
1 unit → 32 ÷ 4 = 8
B 6
8 + 6 = 14

After There are 14 cars at Park B at first.

A 36 – 14 = 22
36 – 4 There are 22 cars at Park A at first.
B

Grade 6 Ratio Problems

Example 1 Jemima and Karen share an amount of money in the ratio of 5:3. Jemima
has P 360 more than Karen. How much money do they share altogether?
(Ratio)

Jemima 2 units → 360

1 unit → 360 ÷2 = 180
Karen 8 units →8 x 180 = 1 440
360

They share P 1 440 altogether.

Total number of units = 5 + 3 = 8 units
 Example 2 There are 30 bananas, oranges and apples in the basket. The ratio of
apples to bananas to citrus is 3:2:1. How many of each fruit are there in
the basket?
Solution
6 units → 30
apples 1 unit → 30 ÷ 6 = 5
Number of apples = 3 x 5 = 15 apples
bananas 30 Number of bananas = 2 x 5 = 10 bananas
Number of citrus = 1 x 5 = 5 citrus
citrus
There are 15 apples, 10 bananas and 5
Total number of units = 3 + 2 + 1 = 6 units citrus in the basket.

Grade 7 Ratio Problems (with transfer) and Fractions Problems

9
Example 1 Alpha’s number of marbles is of Bravo’s numbers of marbles. Alpha
5
has 40 less marbles than Bravo. How many marbles do they have
altogether?

Alpha 4 units →40

1 unit → 40 ÷ 4 = 10
Bravo 14 units = 14 x 10 = 140

40 They have 140marbles in all.

5 + 9 = 14 units in all.

Example 2 A sum of money is shared between Johannes and Nicholas in the ratio of
9:7. If Johannes gives Nicholas P 55, both of them will have the same
amount of money. How much does Johannes have at first?

Before giving P 55 After giving P 55

Johannes Johannes

Nicholas Nicholas 55

1 unit → P 55
Johannes has 9 units at first.
So 9 x P 55 = P 495.
Johannes has P 495 at first
 7
Example 3 of the people on a restaurant are gentlemen. If there are 48 more men
10
than ladies, how many people are there in the restaurant?

Solution. Abstractly:
7  7 
men n  48    1 
10  10 
7 3
women 48 n  48    
10 10 
4
n  48 
10
4 units = 48 12
1 unit = 48 ÷ 4 = 12 48 10
10 units = 10 x 12 = 120 n 
1 4
There are 120 people in the restaurant. 1
n= 120