Presented is a discussion of the nature of individual differences in the learning of mathematics, which leads to a review of field-dependent and field-independent cognitive styles. Field-dependence-independence is noted as an important variable in school learning and a study is cited that investigated the relationship between pupil success at solving mathematics word problems and cognitive style. The findings of that study formed a basis for the new investigation reviewed in this report. Twenty-eight fourth-grade subjects from a center-city Philadelphia school were selected in the new study, and two sets of word problems were presented to these subjects. One problem set was in standard form, the other consisted of word problems with adjunct questions. Results indicated that although there is some benefit to field-independent subjects when word problems are presented with adjunct questions, the gain among the field-dependent is greater. The findings are seen to justify the idea of training teachers in using strategies which are likely to help children structure the information within word problems. (MP)