There are many opportunities to include math in this unit.  If stated properly, math word problems can also reinforce social studies and reading lessons.  Contained herein are some ideas for word problems for the following strands:
 

: addition & subtraction

: multiplication &  division

: statistics, percentages, & graphing

: algebra

: probability and statistics activities are found in the lesson about the draft

: measurement activities are also found in the unit

The word problems that follow are just ideas to show how math, social studies, and reading can clearly be integrated.  Teachers are encouraged to run with this and develop problems that suit the particular abilities of your students, as well as the math strands under study at the time the unit is taught.
 

1) Review the POW Tap Code.  John McCain wants to send a message saying:  “I am
    being tortured.”  What are the total number of times that John McCain must tap on
    the wall to send his message?

2) In the Vietnam War there were 47,420 hostile deaths and 10,800 non-hostile
    deaths.  What were the total number of deaths in the Vietnam War.

3) On the Vietnam Wall there are 8 women.  How many men are there on the Wall.

4) There are 58,220 names on the Vietnam Wall.  Of these, 47,200 are Caucasians,
     3,070 are Hispanics, and 550 are from other races. The remainder are African-
    Americans.  How many names on the Wall are African-Americans?
 
5) Look at the statistics of military personnel killed in action by age.  How many
    military men and women were killed in action from age of 17 through 26?

6) Review the Free World Participation statistics.  At their peak, what was the total
     number of soldiers in Vietnam from the five countries listed?

1) Mike was about to be sent back to the world.  He wanted to buy a small flag for each
    of his three siblings.  The flags cost $.79 each.  How much did Mike pay for the
    flags?

2) Tori, a nurse in Vietnam, noticed all of the 132 beds in the hospital were full of
     wounded men.  The beds were in rows of 6.  How many beds were in each row?

3) Nurse Kara had 24 patients in her ward.  She had to visit each patient 26 times
    every day for two weeks, including weekends.  How many visits did nurse Kara
    make in her ward in two weeks.

4) Although they did much more than this, some Red Cross volunteers would bring
    cookies or doughnuts to the men in the field or hand them out at a base.  Their
    warm smile and friendliness brought hope to the men in battle.  Because they
    sometimes passed out cookies or doughnuts in previous wars and in Vietnam,
    some of the Red Cross volunteers got the nickname “Doughnut Dolly.”  Imagine a
    Red Cross volunteer wanted to make eight dozen cookies.  For each dozen she
    needed four eggs, two cups of flour, one-half cup of sugar, and one teaspoon of
    vanilla.  How much of  each ingredient was needed for the eight dozen cookies.

5) Twenty-four men returned from battle and were very hungry.  They entered the mess
     hall and decided to split up the 144 pancakes, 192 sausages, and 96 eggs.  How
     many of each item did each soldier get?

6) After eating, the soldiers then ran to the nurse for some antacid tablets.
    Unfortunately, nurse Paige had only 6 tablets.  The men decided to cut them up
    evenly.  How much did each man get?

1) Review the military commitment versus combat deaths statistics.  What
    percentage of the deaths occurred in 1968 and 1969 combined?

2) Review the wounded statistics.  What percentage of the wounded were severely
    disabled?  Make a graph showing the percentage.

3) Of the soldiers who lost limbs, how what percentage had multiple amputations?
     Make a graph showing this percentage.

4) Review the POW/MIA statistics.  Using the numbers presented, what percentage of
    the prisoners died in captivity?  Make a graph showing this percentage.

5) In 1968, there were 14,592 deaths.  Of these,13% were African-Americans.  How
    many African-Americans died of hostile deaths in 1968?  Make a chart showing this
    percentage.

6) Using a total of 47,420 killed in action.  What percentage were age 21 or lower?
     Make a pie chart showing this percentage.

7) Make a chart showing the percent of soldiers killed by age for the age group 17
     through 26.  Use 47,420 as the total killed in action.  Label your remainder as
     “other ages.”

8) Make a graph showing the military commitment versus combat deaths by year.

9) Make a graph showing the number of combat deaths by year.

10) Review all of the statistics and make charts and graphs of items that you find
       interesting.

1) Lisa and Martin both served in Vietnam.  Lisa was 4 years older than Martin.
    Together, the sum of their ages is 40.  How old is each?

2) A father and son died in Vietnam.  The father was 3 times as old as the son.
    Together, their ages add up to 68.  How old was each?

3) Jim is serving in Vietnam and received a letter from his little brother, Tommy.  Jim is
     2 years older than 3 times his little brother, Tommy.  Together, their ages add up to
     26.  How old is each?

4) Sergeant Powell is in Vietnam in 1968.  As he sits in his bunker worried for his life,
     he thinks of his little sister, Emily, who is 16 years younger he is.  Together, their
     ages equal 4 times Emily’s age.  How old is each?

5) Red Cross volunteers served bravely in Vietnam.  Their efforts are largely
    unnoticed, although they ran many of the same risks as military people serving in
    Vietnam.  The newly arriving volunteers need to prepare meals.  Holly can prepare
    the meals in 6 hours.  It will take Sarah 9 hours to do the same job. How long will it
    take them if they work together?
    (This question deals with algebraic fractions.  Junior high level.)