Value word problems (coins and notes), step by step

A handful of coins has two numbers in it: how many coins, and how much they are worth.

The question

How many points is that in total?

In a spelling game, each long word is worth 20 points and each short word is worth 3 points. Altogether, a player spelled 12 long words and 11 short words.
12 × 20 + 11 × 3 = 273 points
asked:How many points is that in total?
273 points
  1. Read it through once. Two kinds of things, each worth a different amount, so work out each group's worth and ADD them — do not add the counts to the values.
  2. Each group is how many of it times what one is worth; add the two groups: 12 × 20 + 11 × 3 = 273 points.
  3. Answer the question that was asked — "How many points is that in total?" — 273 points.

How it works.

  1. 01

    Read it through once. Two kinds of things, each worth a different amount, so work out each group's worth and ADD them — do not add the counts to the values.

  2. 02

    Each group is how many of it times what one is worth; add the two groups: 12 × 20 + 11 × 3 = 273 points.

  3. 03

    Answer the question that was asked — "How many points is that in total?" — 273 points.