Every question here is written by Prism in the style of the tests. None is copied from a real paper, and a fresh one is drawn each time a child practises.
From foundation to exam standard
Two questions at each level. Tap an option to check it.
Foundation where a child in Year 3 or 4 starts
Question 1Aim for about 60 seconds
Two numbers add up to 9. One of them is 3. What is the other number multiplied by 2?
Show the worked answer
Answer: C, 12
How to work it out
The other number is 9 − 3 = 6.
Doubled: 12.
Why the other options are wrong
A (22): This is 10 more than the correct answer, so the tens column is out. Recheck the working.
B (9): This is the total, not the other number doubled.
D (6): This is the other number, 6; the question asks for it multiplied by 2.
E (24): This is double the correct answer, 12. Check whether you doubled when you should not have.
Question 2Aim for about 60 seconds
Using coins (1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2), what is the fewest coins that make exactly 44p?
Show the worked answer
Answer: C, 4
How to work it out
Take the biggest coin that fits each time: 20p, 20p, 2p, 2p.
That is 4 coins.
Why the other options are wrong
A (1): This counts 50p coins only and cannot make the exact amount.
B (6): Two coins too many.
D (5): One coin too many; a bigger coin can replace two smaller ones somewhere.
E (3): One coin too few; no set of that many coins makes the amount exactly.
Standard the 11 Plus standard, Year 5
Question 3Aim for about 60 seconds
A farmyard has chickens and sheep. There are 13 heads and 44 legs. How many sheep are there?
Show the worked answer
Answer: E, 9
How to work it out
If all 13 were chickens there would be 26 legs.
Each sheep adds 2 more: (44 − 26) ÷ 2 = 9 sheep.
Why the other options are wrong
A (4): This is the number of chickens, not sheep.
B (10): This is one sheep too many; check the extra legs.
C (11): This divides all the legs by 4, as if every animal were a sheep.
D (8): This is 1 less than the correct answer, so the last step of the working is out by one.
Question 4Aim for about 60 seconds
This problem cannot be solved yet: “A train leaves at 09:40. What time does it arrive?” What else do you need to know?
Show the worked answer
Answer: E, How long the journey takes
How to work it out
Ask what the calculation needs.
How long the journey takes: without that, no answer is possible.
Why the other options are wrong
A (How fast the train goes): Speed alone does not give the time without the distance.
B (What platform it leaves from): The platform makes no difference.
C (How many carriages it has): The carriages make no difference.
D (How many stops it makes): Stops alone do not give the arrival time.
Exam standard what the papers ask in Year 6
Question 5Aim for about 60 seconds
A book has 406 pages. Oscar reads 24 pages a day. How many days does it take to finish it?
Show the worked answer
Answer: D, 17
How to work it out
406 ÷ 24 = 16 remainder 22.
The last 22 pages need one more day: 17 days.
Why the other options are wrong
A (24): This is the pages read in one day, not the number of days.
B (18): 17 days already finish the book, so one more is not needed.
C (7): This is 10 less than the correct answer, so the tens column is out. Recheck the working.
E (16): 16 days read only 384 pages; 22 are still left.
Question 6Aim for about 60 seconds
A atlas has 448 pages. Priya reads 18 pages a day. How many days does it take to finish it?
Show the worked answer
Answer: E, 25
How to work it out
448 ÷ 18 = 24 remainder 16.
The last 16 pages need one more day: 25 days.
Why the other options are wrong
A (15): This is 10 less than the correct answer, so the tens column is out. Recheck the working.
B (18): This is the pages read in one day, not the number of days.
C (24): 24 days read only 432 pages; 16 are still left.
D (26): 25 days already finish the book, so one more is not needed.
The kinds of question in this topic
Each kind asks something different of a child, even when the numbers or shapes look alike.
Working backwards
Undo a chain of operations to find the starting number.
Exam standard
Question 7Aim for about 60 seconds
I think of a number, multiply it by 3, add 6, then divide by 3. The answer is 19. What was my number?
Prism starts with a free assessment across maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, then builds a weekly plan for your target schools. Parents follow progress free.