Column subtraction 5: Captivating Caribou
The Number Bit!
In this exciting lesson, you will need to solve a range of subtraction word problems that feature caribou (reindeer). Try using PAWS to arrive at the right answer!
P = Picture the problem in your mind.
A = Annotate the word problem by highlighting the important information.
W = Write down the number sentence that needs to be solved.
S = Solve the number sentence using an efficient strategy.
Prior learning: Subtract a 3 or 4 digit number from a 4 digit number using the formal written method of column subtraction (with more than one exchange, including an exchange across more than one place value).
Use PAWS and column subtraction to solve the following word problem.
An adult female reindeer had travelled a staggering 50,000 kilometres over a period of ten years. During this time she had consumed 14,684 kilograms of vegetation. Of this vegetation, 11,865 kilograms was made up from herbs, ferns, leaves, grasses, fungi and mosses. The remaining amount was lichen.
How many kilograms of lichen did the reindeer eat in this ten-year period?
Did you know?
Reindeer are herbivores, which means they only eat vegetation. Their diet can include herbs, ferns, mosses, grasses, shoots, fungi, leaves and lichen. On average, an adult reindeer eats around 4 – 8 kilograms of vegetation a day.