How to Take This Test
These 25 questions cover all five topics, and you get 15 minutes, about 36 seconds a question, the same pace as the real Tier 1 Maths section. Long division for every remainder or a full list of factors will not fit in that time, so use the shortcuts.
- Do it in one go with a 15-minute timer running and your notes closed.
- Each right answer gets +2 and each wrong one −0.50. A skipped question scores 0.
- If a question needs long working, such as an LCM with an extra condition, leave it and come back at the end. Getting stuck on one question can cost you three easy ones.
- Check the explanations only when the time is up.
Your score. Score = 2 × (number right) − 0.5 × (number wrong), out of 50. So 19 right, 4 wrong and 2 skipped scores 38 − 2 = 36.
| Score out of 50 | What to do next |
|---|---|
| 40 or more | This chapter is ready. Redo the two PYQ sets a week or two before the exam so the divisibility rules and unit-digit cycles stay fresh. |
| 30 to 39.5 | The methods are fine but some marks are leaking. Sort your wrong and skipped questions by topic and redo that section's quiz. Remainders and unit digits are in Section 4, word problems in Section 5. |
| 20 to 29.5 | You know the methods but they are slow. Go through Shortcuts & Speed Methods, mainly the missing-digit, factor-count and remainder parts, then do Practice Sets 1 and 2 and take this test again after a few days. |
| Below 20 | Go back to Sections 2 to 5, starting with the one where you lost the most marks, before you try more timed tests. |
More than 3 wrong answers usually means rushing, so slow down a little next time. On guessing: in Tier 1 a blind guess is very slightly in your favour on average (+0.125 marks), and once you can rule out even one option a guess is clearly worth taking. With these questions a last-digit or divisibility check often rules out one or two options in a few seconds. Chapter 0 has the numbers.