This understanding involves interpreting a situation with two connected addition and/or subtraction relationships, identifying what each quantity represents, determining the intermediate result, and using it to find the final unknown with whole numbers within 100. Bar models, equations, and labeled quantities can show that the two operations represent separate steps rather than combining all numbers indiscriminately; multiplication, division, larger numbers, and more complex multistep or generalized algebraic problems are outside this scope.
A two-step problem has two connected actions. Solve the first action to find an intermediate amount, then use that amount in the second action.
Example:
Mia has stickers. She gets more stickers, then gives stickers to her brother. How many stickers does Mia have now?
Mia starts with stickers and gets more, so add:
After getting more stickers, Mia has stickers.
Mia gives away stickers, so subtract:
Mia has stickers now.
The two steps can be shown with equations:
The is the intermediate result. It tells us how many stickers Mia has before she gives some away.
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