Word Problem Solver

This word problem solver reads the problem in plain English, picks out what you know and what you need to find, writes the equation and solves it step by step.

Tip: use the math keyboard for symbols like √, x² and fractions. You can also attach a photo, screenshot or PDF of the problem (up to 4 files).

Try an example:
Explanation

How to solve word problems with the word problem solver

  1. Paste or type the whole problem, including the question at the end. You can also add a photo of it.
  2. Press Solve. Sumzo lists what is given, names the unknown (for example “let aa be Ali’s marbles”) and writes the equation.
  3. It solves the equation and checks the answer against the story, not just the equation.
  4. Doing it yourself? The same five steps work for any math word problem: read it twice, name the unknown, write an equation, solve it, and check the answer makes sense in words.

Worked examples

Easy: “3 times as many”

  1. “Sam has 3 times as many marbles as Ali. Together they have 48. How many does Ali have?”
  2. Let aa be Ali’s marbles. Sam has 3a3a, so a+3a=48a + 3a = 48.
  3. 4a=484a = 48, so a=12a = 12. Ali has 12 marbles (and Sam has 36).
  4. Check: 12+36=4812 + 36 = 48 and 36=3×1236 = 3 \times 12 ✓.

Medium: two unknowns

  1. “Two numbers add to 50 and differ by 14. What are they?”
  2. Let the numbers be xx and yy: x+y=50x + y = 50 and x−y=14x - y = 14.
  3. Add the equations: 2x=642x = 64, so x=32x = 32, and then y=50−32=18y = 50 - 32 = 18.
  4. Check: 32+18=5032 + 18 = 50 and 32−18=1432 - 18 = 14 ✓.

Hard: an age problem

  1. “In 5 years Maya will be twice as old as she was 7 years ago. How old is she now?”
  2. Let mm be her age now. In 5 years she is m+5m + 5; 7 years ago she was m−7m - 7. So m+5=2(m−7)m + 5 = 2(m - 7).
  3. Expand: m+5=2m−14m + 5 = 2m - 14, so m=19m = 19.
  4. Check: in 5 years she is 24, and 7 years ago she was 12; 24=2×1224 = 2 \times 12 ✓.

Common mistakes when turning words into maths

  • Answering a different question. In the first example the question asks for Ali’s marbles (12), not Sam’s (36).
  • Writing “less than” the wrong way round: “5 less than xx” is x−5x - 5, not 5−x5 - x.
  • Dropping the units. If the story is in km and hours, the answer is in km/h.
  • Not checking the answer makes sense — a negative number of people or a speed of 900 km/h for a bike means something went wrong.

Frequently asked questions

Can the word problem calculator solve any math word problem?

It handles most school word problems: ages, money and percentages, speed, distance and time, ratios, areas and perimeters, and problems with two unknowns. Very long or unclear problems may need you to check the equation it wrote.

Does it show the equation it used?

Yes. Every solution names the unknown, writes the equation from the words, then solves it step by step — so you can see how the story became maths.

Is this an AI word problem solver?

Yes. Sumzo AI reads the words and writes the equation; Sumzo’s math engine then re-checks the equation’s solution whenever it can, and the answer says whether it was checked.

Can I take a photo of the problem?

Yes. Add a photo or screenshot, check the text Sumzo read, and press Solve.

How do I set up the equation myself?

Give the unknown a letter, then translate each sentence: “together” usually means add, “times as many” means multiply, and “is” becomes the equals sign. Compare your equation with the one Sumzo writes.

Is the word problem solver free?

Yes, with a fair-use daily limit on AI answers. It works in your browser on any device.