Start this PSLE Foundation Mathematics Paper 2 practice with four short questions and two structured questions. The set lets you practise moving from quick calculations to problems where you have to decide which quantities to use and show the steps that connect them.
In SEAB’s revised 2026 Foundation Mathematics format (0038), Paper 2 is a 45-minute paper worth 34 marks. It has ten short-answer questions and four structured questions. Calculator use is allowed. This six-question set is for skills practice ahead of 2027. Check the examination-year instructions before a full timed rehearsal.
- Work through all six questions before opening the answers.
- For each word problem, write the operation or relationship you are using.
- Check the unit and the size of the answer before moving on.
Four short-answer questions
1. A notebook costs $3.65 and a pen costs $1.80. How much do they cost altogether?
2. A bus leaves at 10.45 am and arrives at 11.20 am. How many minutes does the journey take?
3. A jug holds 2 litres of water. Amir pours out 750 mL. How many millilitres remain?
4. There are 36 pupils in a club. One quarter of them are in the photography group. How many are in that group?
Two structured questions
5. Mei has $20. She buys three packets of stickers at $2.40 each and two notebooks at $3.25 each. Find (a) the cost of the stickers and (b) the change she receives after paying for everything.
6. A rectangular noticeboard is 120 cm long and 75 cm wide. A ribbon runs once around its edge. Find (a) the length of the ribbon in centimetres and (b) how many centimetres of ribbon remain if the piece started at 5 metres.
Worked answers
1. Add $3.65 and $1.80 to get $5.45. The combined price should be between $5 and $6. That estimate can help catch an incorrectly entered decimal.
2. From 10.45 am to 11.00 am is 15 minutes. From 11.00 am to 11.20 am is 20 minutes. The whole journey takes 35 minutes.
3. Convert 2 litres to 2,000 mL. Subtract 750 mL to get 1,250 mL. The question asks for millilitres, so keep that unit in the answer.
4. Divide 36 by 4 to get 9 pupils. You can check that four equal groups of nine make 36.
5(a). Three packets cost 3 × $2.40 = $7.20. For 5(b), two notebooks cost $6.50. The total bill is $13.70 and the change is $6.30. Check by adding $13.70 and $6.30 to get $20.
6(a). Add the length and width to get 195 cm and double it to get 390 cm around the board. For 6(b), convert 5 metres to 500 cm, then subtract 390 cm. The answer is 110 cm.
How to use the results
If you missed Question 2, draw a timeline that passes through the hour. If you missed Question 3 or 6, circle the unit requested and convert both measurements before subtracting. If you missed Question 5, write one subtotal per item type so you can see where the cost came from.
For a second attempt, change Mei’s budget to $15 and the number of sticker packets to four. The bill is then $16.10, so Mei is $1.10 short. That changes the question from finding change to finding the amount still needed.
Parents can ask a child to explain one line of working and then set a similar question with different numbers. Use the published Foundation format when choosing a full practice paper. An older paper may have a different duration or number of questions.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a complete Foundation Paper 2?
This is a six-question practice set. The published 2026 paper has fourteen questions.
Can I use a calculator for these questions?
Yes, if you are practising the published Paper 2 conditions. Write down useful working for the structured questions.
What is the difference between perimeter and area?
Perimeter measures around the edge. Area measures the surface inside it. The ribbon in Question 6 goes around the edge.
Official information
SEAB’s revised 2026 PSLE Foundation Mathematics examination format (0038), Examination Format and Notes. Checked 8 November 2026.