Three sample physics problems are presented in this article. The solutions to the three problems addresses a major student difficulty in problem solving--knowing where to begin. The first suggested step is to begin by stating what is asked for. Step 2 is identifying the fundamental physics that underlies the problem situation. Step 3 is isolating the variable of Step 1 and proceeding--repeating the steps for unknown quantities as they appear. Like the scientific method, this problem-solving method is not always reducible to a set number of clear-cut steps because Steps 2 and 3 sometimes overlap. Nevertheless, this problem-solving framework helps students use math to support and expand their physics understanding--rather than using math to mask the physics. The equations of physics guide student thinking. (Contains 5 figures.)