diff --git a/generate/derivation/__init__.py b/generate/derivation/__init__.py
index 84302248..6953cfc9 100644
--- a/generate/derivation/__init__.py
+++ b/generate/derivation/__init__.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from generate.derivation.comparatives import (
 from generate.derivation.extract import extract_quantities
 from generate.derivation.model import GroundedDerivation, Quantity, Step, VALID_OPS
 from generate.derivation.search import MULTIPLICATIVE_CUES, search_multiplicative
+from generate.derivation.target import Target, extract_target
 from generate.derivation.verify import (
     Resolution,
     SelfVerification,
@@ -29,9 +30,11 @@ __all__ = [
     "Resolution",
     "SelfVerification",
     "Step",
+    "Target",
     "VALID_OPS",
     "extract_comparative_scalars",
     "extract_quantities",
+    "extract_target",
     "search_multiplicative",
     "select_self_verified",
     "self_verifies",
diff --git a/generate/derivation/target.py b/generate/derivation/target.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8f9c474a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/generate/derivation/target.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"""ADR-0176 MS-1 — question-targeting.
+
+Turns the question sentence into a :class:`Target` — what the problem is asking
+for. The target is the multi-step search's pruning signal and stopping criterion
+(MS-3): a chain is a candidate answer only when it matches the target.
+
+Lexeme-level only (ADR-0165 — no question-shape grammar regex, which 0165
+forbids; the existing question parser does shape-matching but returns nothing on
+these GSM8K questions). The three robust signals:
+
+- **quantities** — numbers stated *in the question* (e.g. 0033's "when she is 25"),
+  via the same lexeme extractor the body uses. These participate in the derivation.
+- **aggregation** — presence of an aggregation lexeme ("total", "altogether",
+  "combined", "in all") — a soft hint that the final step is a sum.
+- **units** — the asked unit(s), resolved by **intersection with the body's known
+  units** (a precise lexeme match where the question names a body unit, e.g.
+  "jumping jacks"). Superordinate units the question may use instead (weight↔pounds,
+  money↔dollars) are NOT resolved here — that needs a curated superordinate-units
+  pack (a future irreducible-world-fact pack, like comparatives); until then the
+  unit signal is precise-but-incomplete, and the search falls back to completeness.
+
+Refuse-preferring: an empty target unit is not an error — the search simply has a
+weaker prune and leans on completeness, or refuses.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import Final
+
+from generate.derivation.extract import extract_quantities
+from generate.derivation.model import Quantity
+from generate.math_roundtrip import _tokens
+
+# Aggregation-hint lexemes (soft signal that the final op is a sum). Single-word
+# entries match by word token; multi-word entries match by substring.
+_AGG_WORDS: Final[tuple[str, ...]] = ("total", "altogether", "combined", "sum")
+_AGG_PHRASES: Final[tuple[str, ...]] = ("in all", "in total")
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True, slots=True)
+class Target:
+    """What the question asks for (ADR-0176 MS-1)."""
+
+    quantities: tuple[Quantity, ...]  # numbers stated in the question
+    aggregation: str | None  # aggregation-hint lexeme/phrase, or None
+    units: tuple[str, ...]  # asked units = body units named in the question
+
+
+def extract_target(question_text: str, *, known_units: tuple[str, ...] = ()) -> Target:
+    """Build the :class:`Target` for ``question_text``.
+
+    ``known_units`` are the units extracted from the problem body; the asked
+    unit(s) are the subset of them that appear as tokens in the question. Pass
+    ``()`` (default) when body units are unavailable -> ``units`` is empty and the
+    search leans on completeness. Deterministic.
+    """
+    quantities: tuple[Quantity, ...] = extract_quantities(question_text)
+
+    lowered = question_text.lower()
+    tokens = _tokens(question_text)
+    aggregation: str | None = None
+    for word in _AGG_WORDS:
+        if word in tokens:
+            aggregation = word
+            break
+    if aggregation is None:
+        for phrase in _AGG_PHRASES:
+            if phrase in lowered:
+                aggregation = phrase
+                break
+
+    # Asked units = body units named in the question (precise lexeme match).
+    units = tuple(
+        u for u in dict.fromkeys(known_units) if u and u.lower() in tokens
+    )
+
+    return Target(quantities=quantities, aggregation=aggregation, units=units)
diff --git a/tests/test_adr_0176_ms1_question_target.py b/tests/test_adr_0176_ms1_question_target.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2793d0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_adr_0176_ms1_question_target.py
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+"""ADR-0176 MS-1 — question-targeting.
+
+The Target is the multi-step search's pruning signal + stopping criterion. MS-1
+extracts it from lexeme-level signals only (ADR-0165): question-stated quantities,
+an aggregation hint, and asked units resolved by intersection with the body's
+known units. Refuse-preferring: no signal -> empty field, never a guess.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from generate.derivation import Target, extract_target
+
+
+class TestQuestionQuantities:
+    def test_extracts_quantity_stated_in_question(self) -> None:
+        # 0033: "when she is 25 years old" -> 25 participates in the derivation
+        t = extract_target("How old will the father be when she is 25 years old?")
+        assert isinstance(t, Target)
+        assert [(q.value, q.unit) for q in t.quantities] == [(25.0, "years")]
+
+    def test_no_question_quantity(self) -> None:
+        t = extract_target("How many jumping jacks did Brooke do?")
+        assert t.quantities == ()
+
+
+class TestAggregationHint:
+    def test_total(self) -> None:
+        assert extract_target("How much total weight does he move?").aggregation == "total"
+
+    def test_altogether_and_combined(self) -> None:
+        assert extract_target("How many altogether?").aggregation == "altogether"
+        assert extract_target("What is the combined cost?").aggregation == "combined"
+
+    def test_in_all_phrase(self) -> None:
+        assert extract_target("How many does he have in all?").aggregation == "in all"
+
+    def test_no_aggregation(self) -> None:
+        assert extract_target("How many jumping jacks did Brooke do?").aggregation is None
+
+
+class TestAskedUnits:
+    def test_unit_named_in_question_intersects_body(self) -> None:
+        # body has "jumping"; the question names it -> precise target unit
+        t = extract_target(
+            "How many jumping jacks did Brooke do?", known_units=("jumping", "reps")
+        )
+        assert t.units == ("jumping",)
+
+    def test_superordinate_unit_not_faked(self) -> None:
+        # question says "weight"; body unit is "pounds" -> no exact match -> empty
+        # (superordinate resolution is a deferred pack, not faked here)
+        t = extract_target(
+            "How much total weight does he move?", known_units=("pounds", "reps", "sets")
+        )
+        assert t.units == ()
+
+    def test_no_known_units_yields_empty(self) -> None:
+        assert extract_target("How much money?").units == ()
+
+    def test_units_deduped_and_ordered(self) -> None:
+        t = extract_target(
+            "how many apples and apples?", known_units=("apples", "apples", "oranges")
+        )
+        assert t.units == ("apples",)
+
+
+class TestDeterminism:
+    def test_deterministic(self) -> None:
+        q = "How much total weight when she is 25 years old?"
+        assert extract_target(q, known_units=("pounds",)) == extract_target(
+            q, known_units=("pounds",)
+        )
+
+    def test_target_is_frozen(self) -> None:
+        import dataclasses
+
+        import pytest
+
+        t = extract_target("How many?")
+        with pytest.raises(dataclasses.FrozenInstanceError):
+            t.aggregation = "total"  # type: ignore[misc]