ISEE Lower Level Quiz: Multi Step Word Problems
20 questions · exam conditions
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Multi Step Word ProblemsQuestion 1 of 20

A class is making friendship bracelets. Each bracelet requires 8 blue beads and 7 red beads. There are 24 students in the class, and each student will make one bracelet. If beads are sold in bags of 100, how many bags of beads must be purchased?

3 bags
4 bags
5 bags
15 bags
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ISEE Lower Level Quiz

ISEE Lower Level Quiz: Multi Step Word Problems

Practice Multi Step Word Problems in ISEE Lower Level with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Multi Step Word Problems, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for ISEE Lower Level.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

A class is making friendship bracelets. Each bracelet requires 8 blue beads and 7 red beads. There are 24 students in the class, and each student will make one bracelet. If beads are sold in bags of 100, how many bags of beads must be purchased?

  1. 3 bags
  2. 4 bags (correct answer)
  3. 5 bags
  4. 15 bags
Explanation: First, find the total number of beads needed for one bracelet: 8 + 7 = 15 beads. Next, calculate the total number of beads needed for all 24 students: 15 beads/bracelet × 24 students = 360 beads. Finally, determine how many bags of 100 beads are needed: 360 ÷ 100 = 3 with a remainder of 60. Since they need 360 beads, they must purchase 4 bags to have enough.

Question 2

A school library has 850 books. On Monday, 145 books are checked out. On Tuesday, a donation of 85 new books arrives. The remaining books are to be placed on empty shelves that can hold 30 books each. How many shelves will be completely filled?

  1. 23 shelves
  2. 26 shelves (correct answer)
  3. 27 shelves
  4. 31 shelves
Explanation: First, find the number of books after some are checked out: 850 - 145 = 705 books. Next, add the new books from the donation: 705 + 85 = 790 books. Finally, divide the total number of books by the shelf capacity: 790 ÷ 30 = 26 with a remainder of 10. The number of completely filled shelves is 26.

Question 3

A train has 9 passenger cars, and each car can seat 60 people. On a trip from City A to City B, 7 cars were completely full and one car was exactly half full. The last car was empty. How many passengers were on the train?

  1. 420 passengers
  2. 450 passengers (correct answer)
  3. 480 passengers
  4. 540 passengers
Explanation: First, calculate the number of passengers in the 7 full cars: 7 cars × 60 people/car = 420 people. Next, calculate the number of passengers in the half-full car: 60 people ÷ 2 = 30 people. Finally, add the passengers from all the occupied cars to get the total: 420 + 30 = 450 passengers. The empty car and the total capacity of all cars are extra information.

Question 4

The three fourth-grade classes at Elm School collected cans for a food drive. Ms. Davis's class collected 115 cans, Mr. Lee's class collected 128 cans, and Mrs. Gable's class collected 107 cans. If the students pack the cans into boxes that each hold 20 cans, how many cans will be left over?

  1. 10 cans (correct answer)
  2. 17 cans
  3. 20 cans
  4. 350 cans
Explanation: First, find the total number of cans collected by adding the amounts from the three classes: 115 + 128 + 107 = 350 cans. Next, divide the total number of cans by the number of cans each box can hold to find out how many full boxes can be made: 350 ÷ 20 = 17 with a remainder. To find the remainder, multiply the number of full boxes by the number of cans per box (17 × 20 = 340) and subtract this from the total: 350 - 340 = 10. There will be 10 cans left over.

Question 5

If you need 48 cupcakes and have 18, how many more are needed?

  1. 30 (correct answer)
  2. 66
  3. 20
  4. 36
Explanation: This question tests lower-level ISEE quantitative reasoning skills, specifically solving multi-step problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Multi-step word problems require understanding the problem context, identifying relevant numbers, and choosing the correct operations. In this specific scenario, students must calculate how many more cupcakes are needed by subtracting what they have (18) from what they need (48). The correct answer works because it accurately calculates 48 - 18 = 30 using subtraction to find the difference. A common distractor fails because it results from adding the numbers (48 + 18 = 66, choice B) instead of subtracting. To help students, teach them to break down problems into smaller parts—identify that "how many more" signals subtraction. Practice translating word problem phrases into mathematical operations, emphasizing that "more needed" means finding the difference between what's required and what's available.

Question 6

Four friends shared the cost of a large pizza and a bottle of juice. The pizza cost $18 and the juice cost $2. They paid with a $25 bill. If they split the change evenly among themselves, how much change did each friend receive?

  1. $1.25 (correct answer)
  2. $4
  3. $5
  4. $20
Explanation: First, calculate the total cost of the food and drink: $18 + $2 = $20. Next, determine the amount of change they received from the $25 bill: $25 - $20 = $5. Finally, divide the change evenly among the four friends: $5 ÷ 4 = $1.25 per friend.

Question 7

Maria is reading a book that has 250 pages. She reads 20 pages each day from Monday to Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, she reads 30 pages each day. If she starts the book on a Monday, how many pages will she have left to read after one full week?

  1. 90 pages (correct answer)
  2. 100 pages
  3. 150 pages
  4. 160 pages
Explanation: First, calculate the number of pages read on weekdays: 5 days × 20 pages/day = 100 pages. Next, calculate the number of pages read on the weekend: 2 days × 30 pages/day = 60 pages. Then, find the total pages read in one week: 100 + 60 = 160 pages. Finally, subtract the pages read from the total number of pages in the book: 250 - 160 = 90 pages left to read.

Question 8

A family drives 240 miles to the beach and back home along the same route. Their car can travel 30 miles on one gallon of gas. If gas costs $4 per gallon, what is the total cost of gas for the entire trip?

  1. $16
  2. $32
  3. $64 (correct answer)
  4. $80
Explanation: First, calculate the total distance of the round trip: 240 miles × 2 = 480 miles. Next, determine the number of gallons of gas needed for the trip: 480 miles ÷ 30 miles/gallon = 16 gallons. Finally, calculate the total cost of the gas: 16 gallons × $4/gallon = $64.

Question 9

A baker has a recipe that makes 36 cookies. She bakes 3 batches. After the cookies cool, she gives 8 of them to her neighbor. She then packs the rest into bags of 6 cookies each. How many full bags of cookies can she make?

  1. 16 bags (correct answer)
  2. 17 bags
  3. 18 bags
  4. 100 bags
Explanation: First, calculate the total number of cookies baked: 36 cookies/batch × 3 batches = 108 cookies. Next, subtract the cookies given to the neighbor: 108 - 8 = 100 cookies. Finally, divide the remaining cookies by the number of cookies per bag: 100 ÷ 6 = 16 with a remainder of 4. Since the question asks for the number of full bags, the answer is 16.

Question 10

David receives a $10 allowance each week. For 4 weeks, he also earns an extra $5 each week for mowing the lawn. If he saves all this money, how much more does he need to buy a bicycle that costs $75?

  1. $15 (correct answer)
  2. $20
  3. $35
  4. $60
Explanation: First, find David's total earnings per week: $10 (allowance) + $5 (mowing) = $15. Next, calculate his total savings over 4 weeks: $15 × 4 = $60. Finally, subtract his total savings from the cost of the bicycle to find out how much more money he needs: $75 - $60 = $15.

Question 11

A family has 200 books to pack for a move. A small box can hold 10 books, and a large box can hold 25 books. They completely fill 6 large boxes. How many small boxes will they need for the remaining books?

  1. 15 boxes
  2. 6 boxes
  3. 5 boxes (correct answer)
  4. 50 boxes
Explanation: This is a multi-step word problem that tests your ability to work through operations in the correct sequence and track what information you still need to find. Start by figuring out how many books are already packed. Since they completely fill 6 large boxes and each large box holds 25 books, multiply: 6×25=1506 \times 25 = 150 books are already packed. This means 200−150=50200 - 150 = 50 books remain to be packed. Now you need to determine how many small boxes are required for these remaining 50 books. Since each small box holds 10 books, divide: 50÷10=550 \div 10 = 5 small boxes needed. Looking at the wrong answers: Choice A (15 boxes) likely comes from dividing the total 200 books by 10, ignoring that 150 books are already packed in large boxes. Choice B (6 boxes) probably results from confusing the number of large boxes already used with the number of small boxes needed. Choice D (50 boxes) represents the number of remaining books, not the number of boxes needed—this shows a failure to complete the final division step. The correct answer is C (5 boxes). When solving multi-step word problems like this, always identify what you know, what you need to find, and work through each step systematically. Write down intermediate results (like "150 books packed" and "50 books remaining") to avoid losing track of your progress and ensure you're answering the actual question being asked.

Question 12

A juice stand sold 120 cups of lemonade on Friday. On Saturday, it sold 20 more cups than on Friday. On Sunday, it sold half as many cups as it did on Saturday. How many cups of lemonade were sold in total over the three days?

  1. 260 cups
  2. 310 cups
  3. 330 cups (correct answer)
  4. 380 cups
Explanation: First, find the number of cups sold on Saturday: 120 + 20 = 140 cups. Next, find the number of cups sold on Sunday: 140 ÷ 2 = 70 cups. Finally, add the sales from all three days to find the total: 120 (Friday) + 140 (Saturday) + 70 (Sunday) = 330 cups.

Question 13

At a school fair, tickets for games cost $2 each. Sarah starts with $20. She buys a hot dog for $4 and then spends the rest of her money on game tickets. If each game requires one ticket, how many games can she play?

  1. 16 games
  2. 10 games
  3. 12 games
  4. 8 games (correct answer)
Explanation: This is a multi-step word problem that tests your ability to work backwards from a total amount of money through sequential purchases. When you see problems involving "spending money on different items," always track the remaining money after each purchase. Let's work through Sarah's spending step by step. She starts with $20 and first buys a hot dog for $4. This leaves her with $20−4=1620 - 4 = 16 dollarsforgametickets.Sinceeachgameticketcosts$2,wedivideherremainingmoneybythecostperticket:$ dollars for game tickets. Since each game ticket costs $2, we divide her remaining money by the cost per ticket: $16 ÷ 2 = 8$$ tickets. Since each game requires one ticket, Sarah can play 8 games. Now let's examine why the other answers are wrong. Choice A (16 games) represents the trap of dividing Sarah's total starting money (20)bytheticketprice(20) by the ticket price (2), ignoring that she spent $4 on the hot dog first. Choice B (10 games) might result from incorrectly calculating her remaining money as $20 after buying the hot dog, then dividing by $2. Choice C (12 games) could come from subtracting the hot dog cost from the wrong starting point or making an arithmetic error in the division. The correct answer is D) 8 games. Study tip: In multi-step money problems, always work chronologically through each transaction. Calculate the remaining amount after each purchase before moving to the next step. Write down the amount remaining after each transaction to avoid mixing up your starting point for subsequent calculations.

Question 14

For a school assembly, 240 chairs are arranged in rows. The first 5 rows have 18 chairs each. The rest of the chairs are arranged in rows of 15. How many rows of 15 chairs are there?

  1. 9 rows
  2. 10 rows (correct answer)
  3. 15 rows
  4. 16 rows
Explanation: First, calculate the number of chairs in the first 5 rows: 5 rows × 18 chairs/row = 90 chairs. Next, subtract these chairs from the total to find how many chairs are left: 240 - 90 = 150 chairs. Finally, divide the remaining chairs by 15 to find the number of rows with 15 chairs: 150 ÷ 15 = 10 rows.

Question 15

Leo earned $15 for mowing a lawn. He also gets a $5 allowance every week. If he starts with no money and wants to buy a video game that costs $48, how many weeks must he get his allowance in addition to the money from mowing the lawn?

  1. 6 weeks
  2. 7 weeks (correct answer)
  3. 9 weeks
  4. 10 weeks
Explanation: First, subtract the money Leo earned from mowing from the total cost of the video game to see how much more he needs: $48 - $15 = $33. Next, divide this remaining amount by his weekly allowance to find out how many weeks it will take: $33 ÷ 5=6.6weeks.SinceLeocannotreceiveapartialweek′sallowance,hemustwaitfor7completeweekstohaveenoughmoney(5 = 6.6 weeks. Since Leo cannot receive a partial week's allowance, he must wait for 7 complete weeks to have enough money (15 + $35 = $50, which is more than the $48 needed).

Question 16

A box contains 3 bags of red marbles and 4 bags of blue marbles. Each bag of red marbles has 25 marbles. Each bag of blue marbles has 30 marbles. If a student takes 15 marbles out of the box, how many marbles are left?

  1. 225 marbles
  2. 195 marbles
  3. 210 marbles
  4. 180 marbles (correct answer)
Explanation: This is a multi-step word problem that requires you to find the total number of marbles first, then subtract what was taken. When you see problems with multiple groups of items, always organize the information systematically. Start by calculating the total marbles in the box. For red marbles: 3 bags × 25 marbles per bag = 75 red marbles. For blue marbles: 4 bags × 30 marbles per bag = 120 blue marbles. The total is 75 + 120 = 195 marbles in the box. Since 15 marbles were taken out, subtract: 195 - 15 = 180 marbles remaining. Let's examine why the other answers are wrong. Choice A (225 marbles) represents a calculation error where someone might have added 15 instead of subtracting it, or miscalculated the initial total. Choice B (195 marbles) is the total number of marbles before any were removed - this is what you'd get if you forgot the final subtraction step entirely. Choice C (210 marbles) could result from incorrectly calculating the initial total, perhaps by using wrong numbers for marbles per bag. The key strategy here is to work methodically: first find the total of each type of marble, then add them together for the overall total, and finally perform the subtraction. Always double-check that you've answered the actual question being asked - in this case, how many are left after removal, not how many were there originally.

Question 17

A pet store has 5 large fish tanks and 8 small fish tanks. Each large tank holds 30 fish, and each small tank holds 15 fish. On Saturday, the store sold 20 fish. How many fish were left in all the tanks at the end of the day?

  1. 290 fish
  2. 270 fish
  3. 250 fish (correct answer)
  4. 310 fish
Explanation: This is a multi-step word problem that tests your ability to organize information and work through calculations systematically. When you see problems involving multiple containers or groups, always identify what you're calculating first, then work step by step. Start by finding the total number of fish before any were sold. You have 5 large tanks with 30 fish each: 5×30=1505 \times 30 = 150 fish. Plus 8 small tanks with 15 fish each: 8×15=1208 \times 15 = 120 fish. The total starting amount is 150+120=270150 + 120 = 270 fish. Since 20 fish were sold on Saturday, subtract this from your total: 270−20=250270 - 20 = 250 fish remaining. This confirms answer choice C is correct. Looking at the wrong answers: Choice A (290 fish) likely comes from miscalculating the initial total—perhaps counting 5×30+8×20=3105 \times 30 + 8 \times 20 = 310, then subtracting 20. Choice B (270 fish) is the total number of fish before any sales, meaning you forgot to subtract the 20 fish that were sold. Choice D (310 fish) represents adding instead of subtracting the sold fish (270+20+20=310270 + 20 + 20 = 310) or miscalculating the tank totals entirely. When tackling multi-step word problems, always organize your work: find the starting amount first, then apply any changes (additions or subtractions) in the order they happened. Double-check that you answered the actual question being asked—here, it's the fish remaining after the sale, not before.

Question 18

A soccer team of 14 players is selling candy bars for a fundraiser. Each player was given a box of 25 candy bars to sell. At the end of the fundraiser, the team had a total of 40 unsold candy bars. How many candy bars did the team sell in total?

  1. 300 candy bars
  2. 310 candy bars (correct answer)
  3. 350 candy bars
  4. 390 candy bars
Explanation: First, calculate the total number of candy bars the team had to sell: 14 players × 25 candy bars/player = 350 candy bars. Next, subtract the number of unsold candy bars from the total to find the number of candy bars sold: 350 - 40 = 310 candy bars.

Question 19

At a carnival, a ring toss game costs 3 tickets to play. A water balloon game costs 2 tickets. Ben has 25 tickets. He plays the ring toss 3 times. How many times can he play the water balloon game with his remaining tickets?

  1. 16 times
  2. 9 times
  3. 12 times
  4. 8 times (correct answer)
Explanation: This is a multi-step word problem that tests your ability to work with subtraction and division in a real-world context. When you see problems involving "remaining" amounts, you'll need to calculate what's used first, then work with what's left. Let's work through this step by step. Ben starts with 25 tickets and plays ring toss 3 times at 3 tickets per game. First, calculate how many tickets he uses: 3×3=93 \times 3 = 9 tickets spent on ring toss. Next, find his remaining tickets: 25−9=1625 - 9 = 16 tickets left. Finally, determine how many water balloon games he can play: 16÷2=816 \div 2 = 8 games, since each water balloon game costs 2 tickets. Looking at the wrong answers: Choice A (16 times) represents the number of tickets Ben has left, not the number of games he can play. This is a common trap—always check what the question is actually asking for. Choice B (9 times) is the number of tickets Ben spent on ring toss, showing confusion between tickets used and games playable. Choice C (12 times) might come from incorrectly calculating 25−3=2225 - 3 = 22 remaining tickets, then 22÷2=1122 \div 2 = 11 (rounded to 12), mixing up the cost per ring toss game. The correct answer is D (8 times). Study tip: In multi-step problems, write down each calculation clearly. First find what's used, then what remains, then what you can do with the remainder. Always double-check that your final answer matches what the question asks for.

Question 20

If you need 60 balloons total and have 24, how many more are needed?

  1. 84
  2. 36 (correct answer)
  3. 30
  4. 40
Explanation: This question tests lower-level ISEE quantitative reasoning skills, specifically solving multi-step problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Multi-step word problems require understanding the problem context, identifying relevant numbers, and choosing the correct operations. In this specific scenario, students must calculate how many more balloons are needed by subtracting what they have (24) from what they need (60). The correct answer works because it accurately calculates 60 - 24 = 36 using subtraction to find the difference. A common distractor fails because it results from adding instead of subtracting (60 + 24 = 84, choice A) or making computational errors. To help students, teach them to break down problems into smaller parts—identify that "how many more" always signals subtraction. Practice translating word phrases into operations and use estimation to check answers (60 - 24 should be close to 60 - 20 = 40).