Open Ended Math Word Problems from 10-20

In this resource, you will find 25 printable open ended math word problems that focus on numbers from 10 up to 20. They come in 2 formats. - 1 question per page for students to write on and A5 task cards.

These low floor, high ceiling tasks, sometimes known as rich tasks, are great for multi-leveled or mixed ability classes or groups as there is a low entry point and plenty of space for extension.

Each question sheet comes with a number line or grid on it to support students.

There is not a single right or wrong answer to these problems. Students will come up with a variety of ways to solve these problems - the key is that learners can justify their answers.  Being creative and thinking outside the box is encouraged!

Once completed, I encourage you to share a variety of students' responses to the task. It is valuable for students to be exposed to multiple ways of solving the same problem and to think about how others have used the same information and come up with a different answer.

Ideas for use …

Use with mixed ages and abilities, 

Warm ups, 

Review tasks,

Independent work,

Collaborative group work,

Fast finishers, 

Home learning tasks,

Whole class instruction and more!  

Questions to support or extend learners … 

Encourage students to use equipment or the number grids provided on every page

Ask … How do you know?

What if I changed 1 variable? 

Use this topic and write your own problem for the class to solve

How many different answers can you find?

What are low floor, high ceiling questions?

Low floor, high ceiling tasks have multiple ways to be solved. Some children will use basic counting skills to solve, while others will use more complex strategies. These tasks have a low entry point and multiple exit points. They are also great fun!