2nd Grade Word Problems Worksheets

2nd grade word problems use numbers up to 100, and many need two steps. Children also meet money, measuring length, equal rows (arrays) and telling time in story form. These four mixed sheets put all of these together, so children practice choosing the right operation instead of repeating one kind of problem.

What 2nd graders learn about word problems

• One- and two-step problems within 100 (standard 2.OA.A.1), such as “had 45, gave away 25, then got 29 more”.
• Money: quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies, and simple shopping with the ¢ sign (2.MD.C.8).
• Length: adding and subtracting inches and centimeters (2.MD.B.5).
• Arrays and skip counting: rows of chairs or cupcakes up to 5 by 5, and counting hands by 5s (2.OA.C.4).
• Time: what time an activity ends when it lasts half an hour or an hour.
• Numbers to 1,000: adding hundreds and tens, such as books in a school library.

Why the sheets mix problem types

Second graders who see two numbers often add them without reading on. Each sheet puts one-step and two-step stories next to money, length, array and time stories, so the only way to finish is to read every question to the end. The four sets (A to D) have different problems, and page 2 of every sheet is the answer key. Press Generate your own for brand-new problems with the same mix; the maker remembers what you have already seen on this device.

A worked example

“Ben had 45 marbles. Ben gave away 25 and then got 29 more. How many marbles does Ben have now?”

Step 1: 45 − 25 = 20 marbles after giving some away. Step 2: 20 + 29 = 49. Ben has 49 marbles now. A number line with two jumps (back 25, forward 29) shows both steps.

Tips for teaching 2nd grade word problems

• Teach the bar model: a long bar for the whole and shorter bars for the parts.
• Use real coins for the money problems.
• For more practice by topic, see the money word problems and the addition and subtraction word problems.

Drawing the stories as pictures

These three drawings show the models from the table below on real problems: a bar model, a comparison and a two-step number line.

10 practice 2nd grade math word problems with answers

These problems use numbers up to 100 (and one up to 1,000), with money, length, arrays and time mixed in, as on the sheets.

Read each problem aloud or let your child read it, then check the answer below it. To print the problems as a quiz, with or without the answers, use the print buttons on this page.

1. There are 34 children in the gym and 28 children on the playground. How many children are there in all?
   Answer: 62 children (34 + 28 = 62)
2. A baker made 75 muffins and sold 48. How many muffins are left?
   Answer: 27 muffins (75 − 48 = 27)
3. Mia has 3 quarters and 2 dimes. How much money does she have?
   Answer: 95¢ (75¢ + 20¢ = 95¢)
4. A pencil is 17 cm long. A crayon is 9 cm long. How much longer is the pencil?
   Answer: 8 cm (17 − 9 = 8)
5. There are 4 rows of chairs with 5 chairs in each row. How many chairs are there?
   Answer: 20 chairs (5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 20)
6. Leo had 60 stickers. He gave 15 to Sam and 20 to Ana. How many stickers does Leo have left?
   Answer: 25 stickers (60 − 15 = 45, then 45 − 20 = 25)
7. A school library has 300 picture books and 250 chapter books. How many books does it have?
   Answer: 550 books (300 + 250 = 550)
8. Kai had 42 cards. He got some more and now has 70. How many cards did he get?
   Answer: 28 cards (70 − 42 = 28)
9. A ribbon is 50 inches long. Ella cuts off 18 inches. How long is the ribbon now?
   Answer: 32 inches (50 − 18 = 32)
10. A movie starts at 3:30 and lasts 1 hour. What time does it end?
    Answer: 4:30

Which model to draw

A drawing of the story is worth more than a key word. These four models cover almost every problem on the sheets.

End-of-year checklist

By the end of the year, most second graders can do the following (from the Common Core grade 2 standards):

• Solve one- and two-step add and subtract word problems within 100 (2.OA.A.1).
• Add and subtract within 20 mentally, and know all sums of two one-digit numbers from memory (2.OA.B.2).
• Solve money word problems with dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies, using $ and ¢ (2.MD.C.8).
• Tell time to the nearest 5 minutes, with a.m. and p.m. (2.MD.C.7), and add and subtract lengths (2.MD.B.5).

Word problems for other grades

• Kindergarten word problems
• 1st grade word problems
• 3rd grade word problems
• 4th grade word problems
• 5th grade word problems

Last updated: October 2026