Primary 3 Mathematics syllabus: topics and practice questions
These are the topics and skills of Primary 3 Mathematics in the MOE syllabus, with 191 original practice questions. Each topic below has a sample question: try it, then open the worked answer.
Number & Algebra
Whole Numbers
25 practice questions
Read, write and find the value of digits in numbers up to 10 000
Compare and order numbers, and complete number patterns
Sample question
Write seven thousand and forty-five in numerals.
Show the answer and working
Answer: 7045
How: seven thousand and forty-five = 7045
Why: Reading the words place by place gives the digit for each place. A place that is not mentioned gets a 0, so the other digits stay in their places.
Addition and Subtraction
16 practice questions
Add and subtract numbers up to 4 digits
Solve word problems with addition and subtraction (up to 2 steps)
Sample question
Add 3478 and 2685.
Show the answer and working
Answer: 6163
How: 3478 + 2685 = 6163
Why: Each place can only hold one digit, so every 10 in a place is carried as 1 into the place on its left.
Multiplication and Division
33 practice questions
Use the multiplication tables of 6, 7, 8 and 9
Multiply numbers up to 3 digits by a 1-digit number
Divide numbers up to 3 digits by a 1-digit number, with remainders
Solve word problems with the four operations (up to 2 steps)
Sample question
The stars are in rows. Each row has the same number of stars. How many stars are there?
Show the answer and working
Answer: 56
How: 7 rows of 8
7 × 8 = 56
Why: Every row has the same number, so we can multiply instead of counting one by one.
Fractions
25 practice questions
Find equivalent fractions and write a fraction in its simplest form
Compare and order fractions
Add and subtract related fractions within one whole
Sample question
What fraction of the shape is shaded? Give your answer in its simplest form.
Show the answer and working
Answer:3/4
How: 6/8 = 3/4
Why: 6 of the 8 equal parts are shaded. Dividing the top and bottom by the same number gives an equivalent fraction with smaller numbers.
Money
9 practice questions
Add and subtract money and solve money word problems
Sample question
How much do the pencil case and the ruler cost altogether?
Show the answer and working
Answer: $6.15
How: $4.85 + $1.30 = $6.15
Why: "Altogether" means we join the two prices. Cents that make 100 or more become another dollar.
Measurement & Geometry
Length, Mass and Volume
16 practice questions
Convert between km and m, m and cm, kg and g, ℓ and ml
Solve word problems on length, mass and volume
Sample question
The scale shows the mass of a bag of flour. Kumar uses 280 g of the flour to make bread. How much flour is left?
Show the answer and working
Answer: 370 g
How: The scale shows 650 g.
650 − 280 = 370 g
Why: The flour used is taken away from the flour in the bag.
Time
16 practice questions
Tell the time to the minute and convert hours, minutes and seconds
Find durations, start times and end times
Sample question
What time does the clock show?
A 9.22
B 8.04
C 8.22
D 4.40
Show the answer and working
Answer: (C) 8.22
How: Hour hand: between 8 and 9, so the hour is 8.
Minute hand: 4 × 5 = 20 and 2 more = 22 minutes.
The time is 8.22.
Why: The hour hand moves slowly from one number to the next during the hour, so the hour is the number it has just passed.
Area and Perimeter
22 practice questions
Find area by counting square units
Find the perimeter of a figure
Find the area and perimeter of rectangles and squares
Sample question
The shaded figure is drawn on a grid of 1 cm squares. What is the area of the shaded figure?
Show the answer and working
Answer: 10 cm²
How: Shaded squares in each row: 4 + 4 + 2 = 10
Area = 10 cm²
Why: Each shaded square covers 1 cm², so the number of shaded squares is the area.
Angles
7 practice questions
Identify angles and compare them with a right angle
Sample question
How many angles does this shape have inside it?
Show the answer and working
Answer: 5
How: The shape has 5 corners, so it has 5 angles.
Why: At every corner, two sides meet and make an angle.
Perpendicular and Parallel Lines
7 practice questions
Identify perpendicular and parallel lines
Sample question
Look at the figure ABCD. Which pair of lines is parallel?
A AD and BC
B AB and DC
C AB and BC
D AD and DC
Show the answer and working
Answer: (B) AB and DC
How: AB and DC both go straight across and stay the same distance apart, so they are parallel.
Why: AD and BC would meet if they were drawn longer, so they are not parallel.
Statistics
Bar Graphs
15 practice questions
Read bar graphs
Solve problems using bar graphs
Sample question
The bar graph shows favourite fruits of pupils in 3B. How many pupils chose mango?
Show the answer and working
Answer: 10
How: The bar for Mango reaches 10.
Why: The height of each bar on the scale shows how many.
Practise all 191 Primary 3 questions
With an account, practice adapts to your child: hints one step at a time, feedback on the mistake behind a wrong answer, review of older topics and a Primary 3 mock paper.