Math Drill Pages

Christmas Word Problems

Ten Christmas word problems for third graders, five multiplication and five division, alternating. The stories are about trays of cookies, boxes of ornaments, strings of lights and bags of candy canes. Students decide for each one whether to multiply or divide, and every problem uses facts with numbers from 3 to 9. The answer key is on page 2.

Grade
Grade 3
Problems
10
Time
About 20 minutes
Standard
3.OA.A.3
Download PDF (US Letter) Download PDF (A4)

Two pages: the worksheet, then the answer key. No sign-up needed.

Worksheet preview

Word problems Decide whether to multiply or divide. Write the answer on the line.

  1. A string of lights has 8 bulbs. How many bulbs are on 4 strings?

    32

  2. 21 snowflakes are cut out and shared equally by 7 friends. How many does each friend get?

    3

  3. The choir has 6 rows with 8 singers in each row. How many singers are in the choir?

    48

  4. 64 cookies are shared equally among 8 plates. How many cookies go on each plate?

    8

  5. Emma bakes 8 trays of cookies with 3 cookies on each tray. How many cookies does she bake?

    24

  6. 20 candy canes are packed into 4 equal bags. How many candy canes are in each bag?

    5

  7. Each stocking holds 8 candy canes. How many candy canes fill 9 stockings?

    72

  8. Mia hangs 28 ornaments, 7 on each branch. How many branches does she use?

    4

  9. There are 5 boxes of ornaments with 3 ornaments in each box. How many ornaments are there?

    15

  10. 12 children sit in 3 equal rows at the holiday show. How many children are in each row?

    4

Tips for teachers and parents

  • Before any numbers are written, ask "do we know the groups and need the total, or do we know the total?" That decides multiply or divide.
  • A quick sketch of a few groups helps with stories that feel tricky.
  • Have students write a number sentence for every story, like 6 × 4 = 24.
  • Check a division answer by multiplying it back.

Common mistakes

  • Multiplying both numbers in a division story because the numbers look small. Ask whether the story gives the total or the number in each group.
  • Writing a number with no label. An answer of "8" should be "8 cookies" or "8 bags".

What to practice next

The 4th grade Christmas sheet adds multi-digit multiplication and word problems with 4-digit numbers.

Frequently asked questions

What grade are these Christmas word problems for?

Third grade. They practice multiplication and division word problems within 100 (3.OA.A.3), which is 3rd grade Christmas math that matches the regular curriculum.

Do the division problems have remainders?

No. Every division story divides exactly.

Is there an answer key?

Yes, page 2 has the answers to all 10 problems.