The OC Mathematical Reasoning test: format and how to practise

This section is designed to see how well children can think mathematically about unfamiliar problems, not how quickly they recall facts. Format details follow the NSW Department of Education.

Format at a glance

• 35 multiple-choice questions, five options each.
• 40 minutes on a computer, with paper for working.
• No calculator and no ruler.

What helps most

• Number fluency. Quick recall of times tables, fractions and place value frees up time for thinking.
• Understanding word problems. Underline what is asked, note the numbers, and decide the operations before calculating.
• Drawing. Bar models, number lines and quick diagrams turn confusing problems into clear ones.
• Reading graphs and tables. Practise pulling accurate information from charts and grids.
• Checking. Does the answer make sense? Estimate first, then compare with the options.

Pacing

About 70 seconds a question is the average. Do the questions you can do first, mark the harder ones and return. Because there are five options, eliminating two clear wrong answers makes a good guess much more likely to be right.

Practice routine

1. Start with the department's practice tests to see the style.
2. Work through a few questions a day, and ask your child to explain how they solved each one.
3. Add timed sets of 10 questions in 12 minutes, then a full paper.
4. Review every mistake and retry it a few days later.