Smart Starters · Ages 8 to 10
Bar Model Comparison Word Problems
Draw comparison bars for difference problems. Five levels with answer keys.
The learning journey
Every activity is one step. Here is where this one fits.
- PlayLearn the idea in a game
- Practise(you are here)Lock it in on paper
- ReviewCome back and keep it sharp
- MasterTake on a harder challenge
- AchieveEarn a certificate
About Bar Model Comparison Word Problems
Comparison problems are the ones where children most often choose the wrong operation, because "more than" appears in the wording and addition seems to follow. Two bars drawn one above the other settle it immediately: the shorter bar, the longer bar, and the difference shown as the extra piece on the end. Once that picture is in front of a child, whether to add or subtract stops being a guess. As with the part-whole worksheet, no bar is printed here — drawing it is the skill, and supplying it would remove the task. Each problem gives one quantity and states how much more the other has, then asks for the combined total, so the child must find the second quantity before they can answer. That two-step shape is what makes comparison bars worth drawing rather than merely reading. Quantities grow across the five levels while the structure stays constant. Six problems per page with ruled working space beneath each. Each level prints as a clean A4 sheet in black and white and downloads with its own separate answer key. Its on-screen twin is Bar Model Story Studio, which builds both bar shapes.
Common questions
- Why do children get comparison problems wrong?
- "More than" appears in the wording and addition seems to follow. Two bars settle it immediately.
- Why is no bar printed?
- Drawing it is the skill. Supplying it would remove the task.
- How many steps does each problem take?
- Two — find the second quantity from the difference, then combine.
- Is there room to draw?
- Yes. Ruled working space sits beneath every question.
A hand for grown-ups
- Before you start
- Have something countable nearby. Being able to check "3 and 2 really is 5" by counting builds trust in the maths.
- While they work
- If a sum is hard, suggest counting on from the bigger number rather than counting both from one. It is a real strategy, not a crutch.
- Afterwards
- Try one together out loud, talking through how you worked it out. Hearing an adult think aloud is genuinely useful.
- Watch out for
- Counting both numbers from one every time. Nudge gently towards "start at the bigger one and count on".
- Away from the screen
- Add up small shopping items, or dots on two dice. Board games with dice are addition practice in disguise.
Where to go next
Chosen by the skills this activity practises.