Step 1 : Introduction to the question "How many states does the Mississippi River flow through or border?"
...The Mississippi River is 2,320 miles in length. Its source is Lake Itasca in Minnesota and it completes its journey with its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico. Large and small tributaries contribute to the "Mighty Mississip," including the Red River, Ohio and Missouri rivers. The Mississippi River drains a large portion (41 percent) of the nation's interior, flowing through or bordering ten states from north to south. The states touched by the Mississippi River are: Minnesota, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Iowa, Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and, of course, Mississippi. Source: ThoughtCo.com