Start with this short video, then scroll down for the full guide.
Why This Matters for Nursing: Real nursing math never comes as "solve 3x + 5 = 20." It comes as: "A patient receives 50 mL/hr. After 4 hours, they've received 350 mL total. What was the initial IV bag volume?" Translating words to math is THE essential skill.
The key to word problems is translating English into math. Once you set up the equation correctly, solving is just applying what you already know.
| English | Math |
|---|---|
| is, are, was, equals, gives | = |
| more than, increased by, added to | + |
| less than, decreased by, subtracted from | - |
| times, of, product | × |
| divided by, per, ratio of | ÷ |
| what, a number, unknown | x (variable) |
"IS means EQUALS"
Whenever you see "is" in a word problem, write "="
"Three more than a number IS 10" → x + 3 = 10
Read word problems TWICE: 1. First read: Understand the story 2. Second read: Identify what you're solving for
Problem: Five more than a number is 17. Find the number.
What we're solving: We need to find an unknown number. Let's call it x.
Step 1 — Translate piece by piece. - "Five more than a number" → x + 5 ("more than" = add) - "is" → = (whenever you see "is" in a math problem, write an equals sign) - "17" → 17
Step 2 — Write the equation. x + 5 = 17.
Step 3 — Solve. Subtract 5 from both sides: x = 12.
Answer: The number is 12.
The worked examples and practice problems are the part that actually prepares you for the TEAS.
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