50 Must-Practice PSLE Math Questions Organised by Topic

The PSLE Math paper is one of the most talked-about hurdles in a Singapore student’s primary school journey — and for good reason. It tests not just arithmetic speed, but the ability to apply concepts flexibly across a wide range of topics. Whether your child is just starting their PSLE Math revision or looking to sharpen their skills in the final stretch, practising with the right questions, organised by topic, is one of the most effective strategies available.

This article brings together 50 must-practice PSLE Math questions spanning every major topic in the syllabus — from Whole Numbers and Fractions to Speed, Ratio, and Data Analysis. Each section includes worked examples and practical tips to help students understand the logic behind each question type, not just memorise steps. Whether you are a student working independently or a parent guiding your child’s revision at home, this organised resource will give your preparation a meaningful boost.

Why Topic-by-Topic Practice Matters for PSLE Math

Many students make the mistake of jumping straight into full practice papers without first building confidence in individual topics. When a child struggles with Ratio, for example, a mixed paper simply exposes that weakness repeatedly without giving them the tools to fix it. Practising topic by topic allows students to identify specific gaps, address misconceptions systematically, and develop the mental agility needed to tackle multi-step problem sums confidently.

The PSLE Math syllabus, as set by MOE, is divided into clearly defined content strands. By working through questions in each strand deliberately, students build a solid foundation before integrating their knowledge in timed, full-paper practice. This approach is central to how EduFirst’s primary tuition programme is designed — structured, topic-focused learning in small classes of just 4 to 8 students, so every child gets the attention they need to progress.

Whole Numbers (Questions 1–8)

Whole Numbers form the backbone of the PSLE Math paper. Questions in this topic test students on operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division), order of operations, factors, multiples, and word problems involving large numbers. These questions often appear in both the booklet and long-answer sections.

Practice Questions:

1. Find the value of 4,056 × 37 − 1,248 ÷ 6.
2. The product of two numbers is 840. One of the numbers is 24. What is the other number?
3. A school ordered 36 boxes of markers. Each box contains 48 markers. If 215 markers were used during an art event, how many markers are left?
4. List all the common factors of 48 and 72.
5. What is the smallest number that is divisible by both 6 and 9?
6. A baker made 1,440 muffins and packed them equally into trays of 12. How many trays did he use?
7. The sum of three consecutive even numbers is 162. What are the three numbers?
8. Arrange these numbers in descending order: 3,041 / 3,410 / 3,014 / 3,104.

Worked Example (Q3): Total markers = 36 × 48 = 1,728. Markers left = 1,728 − 215 = 1,513 markers. Always re-read the question to confirm what is being asked — many marks are lost when students solve for the wrong value.

Fractions (Questions 9–16)

Fractions is one of the trickiest topics for Primary 6 students because questions rarely test simple computation. PSLE Fraction problems typically involve multi-step scenarios, fractions of a remainder, and comparisons between quantities. Mastering the “part-whole” model is essential here.

Practice Questions:

9. Jane spent 2/5 of her money on a book. She had $24 left. How much money did she have at first?
10. A tank was 3/4 full. After removing 15 litres, it was 1/2 full. What is the capacity of the tank?
11. Peter ate 1/3 of a pizza. Mary ate 1/4 of the same pizza. What fraction of the pizza was left?
12. Ali gave 1/6 of his stickers to Ben and 2/5 of the remainder to Carol. If Ali had 90 stickers at first, how many did Carol receive?
13. Simplify: 3/4 ÷ 9/16.
14. A ribbon was cut into three pieces in the ratio 2 : 3 : 5. The longest piece was 40 cm. How long was the ribbon?
15. 3/7 of the students in a class are boys. There are 18 girls. How many students are in the class?
16. Mrs Tan used 2/3 of her flour to bake a cake and 1/4 of the remainder for cookies. What fraction of the flour was left?

Worked Example (Q12): Ali gave away 1/6 of 90 = 15 stickers to Ben. Remainder = 90 − 15 = 75. Carol received 2/5 of 75 = 30 stickers. Drawing a model diagram helps students visualise “fractions of a remainder” clearly.

Ratio (Questions 17–23)

Ratio questions in PSLE Math are frequently combined with concepts like fractions, percentages, or before-and-after changes. Students must be comfortable with equivalent ratios, simplifying ratios, and identifying the total number of parts. The model method or the unitary method works well for most Ratio problems.

Practice Questions:

17. The ratio of boys to girls in a club is 3 : 5. There are 24 boys. How many girls are there?
18. Tom and Jerry share $360 in the ratio 4 : 5. How much does Jerry receive?
19. A recipe uses flour and sugar in the ratio 7 : 2. If 350 g of flour is used, how much sugar is needed?
20. The ratio of red to blue marbles is 2 : 3. After adding 10 red marbles, the ratio becomes 3 : 3. How many blue marbles are there?
21. Mia has 3 times as many stamps as Noah. After Mia gives Noah 20 stamps, they have the same number. How many stamps did each have at first?
22. The ratio of the length to the width of a rectangle is 5 : 2. The perimeter is 84 cm. Find the area of the rectangle.
23. Alice, Bob, and Carol share a sum of money in the ratio 2 : 3 : 7. Carol’s share is $168 more than Alice’s share. Find the total sum.

Tip: For before-and-after Ratio questions (like Q20 and Q21), always set up the ratios side by side and look for the unchanged quantity. This approach prevents confusion and reduces careless mistakes.

Percentage (Questions 24–30)

Percentage questions test students on finding percentage of a quantity, percentage increase and decrease, and working backwards from a given percentage. These questions are common in Section B and often carry 3 to 5 marks each. Understanding percentage as a fraction of 100 is the key foundation.

Practice Questions:

24. A shirt costs $85 after a 15% discount. What was its original price?
25. The price of a laptop increased from $1,200 to $1,380. What is the percentage increase?
26. In a school of 800 students, 55% are girls. How many boys are there?
27. A stall sold 240 cups of drinks. 30% were hot drinks and the rest were cold. How many cold drinks were sold?
28. John’s salary is $3,200. He spends 40% on rent, 25% on food, and saves the rest. How much does he save each month?
29. A jacket was sold at a 20% profit for $168. What was the cost price?
30. In a test, Amy scored 72 out of 90. Express her score as a percentage. (Round to 1 decimal place.)

Worked Example (Q24): If $85 = 85% of original price, then 1% = $85 ÷ 85 = $1. Original price = $1 × 100 = $100. Working backwards from a given percentage (the unitary method) is one of the most tested and most commonly confused skills in this topic.

Area, Perimeter & Volume (Questions 31–37)

Geometry and measurement questions in PSLE Math range from finding the area of composite figures to calculating the volume of solids and working with shaded regions. Students are expected to identify relevant formulas, apply them correctly, and present workings clearly. Diagrams are almost always provided, so learning to extract information from figures is a key skill.

Practice Questions:

31. A rectangle has a length of 18 cm and a width of 9 cm. A square of side 4 cm is cut from one corner. Find the area of the remaining shape.
32. The perimeter of a square is 52 cm. Find its area.
33. A circular garden has a radius of 7 m. Find its area. (Use π = 22/7.)
34. A cuboid has a length of 10 cm, a width of 6 cm, and a height of 4 cm. Find its volume.
35. Water is poured into a rectangular tank 50 cm long and 30 cm wide to a height of 20 cm. How many litres of water are in the tank?
36. A figure is made up of a rectangle and a semicircle. The rectangle is 14 cm long and 8 cm wide. Find the total area of the figure. (Use π = 22/7.)
37. The area of a triangle is 48 cm². Its base is 12 cm. Find its height.

Tip: For composite figures, always break the shape into simpler parts (rectangles, triangles, semicircles). Label each part clearly and add or subtract areas as required. Show every step — method marks are awarded even if the final answer is incorrect.

Speed, Distance & Time (Questions 38–43)

Speed questions are among the most challenging in the PSLE Math paper because they frequently involve two or more moving objects, gaps in time, or changes in speed. The three formulas — Speed = Distance ÷ Time, Distance = Speed × Time, and Time = Distance ÷ Speed — must become second nature. Many students benefit from drawing a timeline or table to organise the information before solving.

Practice Questions:

38. A car travels at 80 km/h for 2.5 hours. How far does it travel?
39. A cyclist covers 36 km in 1.5 hours. What is her speed in km/h?
40. Town A and Town B are 240 km apart. Mr Lee drives from A to B at 60 km/h. At what time will he arrive if he departs at 9:30 am?
41. Two trains leave the same station in opposite directions. One travels at 70 km/h and the other at 90 km/h. How far apart are they after 3 hours?
42. Ahmad walks from home to school at 5 km/h and returns at 4 km/h. If the school is 2 km away, what is his average speed for the whole journey?
43. A bus left Town X at 8:00 am travelling at 60 km/h. A car left the same town at 9:00 am travelling in the same direction at 90 km/h. At what time will the car catch up with the bus?

Worked Example (Q43): In 1 hour, the bus has a 60 km head start. Every hour after that, the car gains 30 km on the bus (90 − 60). Time to close 60 km gap = 60 ÷ 30 = 2 hours after 9:00 am. The car catches up at 11:00 am. Drawing a simple timeline makes this type of question far more manageable.

If your child finds Speed problems particularly challenging, our structured primary school tuition programme at EduFirst breaks down these concepts step by step with guided practice in small groups.

Data Analysis & Averages (Questions 44–50)

Data Analysis questions in PSLE Math test students on reading and interpreting tables, bar graphs, line graphs, and pie charts, as well as calculating mean (average) and solving problems involving the total and distribution of values. These questions appear across all sections of the paper and are generally accessible — making them a reliable source of marks for well-prepared students.

Practice Questions:

44. The average score of 5 students is 72. A sixth student joins and the new average becomes 74. What is the sixth student’s score?
45. A bar graph shows the number of books read by five children. Emma read 12, Lucas read 8, Mia read 15, Noah read 10, and Olivia read 5. What is the average number of books read?
46. The mean of four numbers is 18. Three of the numbers are 15, 20, and 22. Find the fourth number.
47. A pie chart shows that 25% of students chose Science as their favourite subject. If 60 students chose Science, how many students were surveyed in total?
48. A line graph shows the temperature at 8 am, 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm, and 4 pm as 24°C, 27°C, 31°C, 29°C, and 26°C respectively. What is the average temperature over the five readings?
49. In a class of 40 students, the average height is 142 cm. 15 of the students have an average height of 138 cm. What is the average height of the remaining students?
50. A shop recorded sales of $420, $380, $510, $490, and $450 over five days. What is the average daily sale? On the sixth day, total average sales dropped to $450. What were the sales on the sixth day?

Worked Example (Q44): Total score of 5 students = 72 × 5 = 360. New total for 6 students = 74 × 6 = 444. Sixth student’s score = 444 − 360 = 84. The key insight is that average × number of items = total, and this relationship drives nearly every average question at PSLE level.

Top Exam Tips for PSLE Math

Practising questions is only part of the equation. How students approach the exam itself makes a significant difference to their final score. Here are practical strategies that high-achieving students consistently apply:

• Show all workings clearly. PSLE Math awards method marks even when the final answer is wrong. Never skip steps, especially in long-answer questions worth 4 or 5 marks.
• Highlight key information. Underlining or circling important numbers and keywords in the question reduces the chance of misreading what is being asked.
• Draw models or diagrams. Bar models, timeline diagrams, and ratio tables are powerful tools that help students organise complex information before solving.
• Check units carefully. Many marks are lost due to mixing up km and m, litres and ml, or hours and minutes. Always verify that the units in your answer match the question.
• Allocate time wisely. Spend no more than 2 minutes on a 1-mark question. If you are stuck, move on and return later — there are usually easier marks elsewhere in the paper.
• Review answers with time remaining. Re-read each question after answering to confirm the solution is sensible and the question was answered fully.

Building these habits takes consistent practice over time. Students enrolled in EduFirst’s primary tuition classes practise exam techniques alongside content mastery in every lesson, developing the confidence and discipline needed to perform well under timed conditions.

Final Thoughts

Preparing for PSLE Math does not have to be overwhelming. By working through these 50 must-practice questions organised by topic, your child builds skill and confidence in each area of the syllabus before putting it all together in full-paper practice. The most successful students are not those who do the most questions — they are those who understand why each answer is correct and learn from every mistake they make.

Consistent, structured revision is the key. Revisit the topics your child finds most challenging, use the worked examples as a guide, and make exam techniques a regular part of your practice routine. With the right support and a clear revision plan, PSLE Math success is absolutely achievable.