Arithmetic (Paper 1 practice)
The KS2 Maths Arithmetic paper (Paper 1) is a calculator-free SATs test made up of 36 short calculations covering the four operations, fractions, decimals, percentages and order of operations. It checks that pupils can calculate quickly and accurately using mental methods and formal written methods, including long multiplication and long division. Pupils sit it in Year 6 alongside two reasoning papers.
Before you start
No specific prerequisites - this is a good place to start.
Method
- Read each question carefully and decide which operation (or operations) it needs before you start calculating.
- Choose an efficient method: mental recall for known facts, and a formal written method (column addition or subtraction, long multiplication, short or long division) for larger numbers.
- Apply the order of operations (brackets first, then multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction) whenever a question mixes operators.
- Show all your working in the space provided, since some questions award a mark for a correct method even if the final answer has a small slip.
- Check each answer using the inverse operation or a rough estimate, and give it in the same form as the question asks (fraction, decimal or whole number).
- Look at the marks in brackets; questions worth 2 marks usually need a full written method to be shown, not just a final answer.
Worked example
Work out 356 x 24.
- Set up the formal long multiplication and multiply 356 by 4 first (the ones digit of 24).
- 356 x 4 = 1424.
- Multiply 356 by 20 (the tens digit): 356 x 2 = 712, so 356 x 20 = 7120.
- Add the two partial products together: 1424 + 7120.
- 1424 + 7120 = 8544.
Practice questions
Try each question, then tap to reveal the answer.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a KS2 Maths exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
614 x 23 =
5824 divided by 16 =
Work out 3.6 x 8 - 45 divided by 9.
Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the arithmetic (paper 1 practice) worksheet pack - 10 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. No sign-up, no email wall - just the PDF, free for personal and classroom use.
Build a full practice pack.
This topic is one of hundreds in the library - pick the ones a student needs and generate a printable PDF in minutes.