Mental Arithmetic: Practice Set 4
Mental Arithmetic: Practice Set 4 is a fourth timed set of 13+ Common Entrance mental arithmetic questions, extending the practice from Sets 1 to 3 with more multi-step word problems across money, measures, fractions and ratio, all worked out without long written calculation.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Convert all measurements to the same unit before combining them, for example changing metres to centimetres or hours to minutes.
- Break a multi-step word problem into separate short calculations, working out and noting each intermediate answer before moving to the next step.
- Use known fraction, decimal and percentage equivalents to switch quickly between the three forms, whichever is easiest for the numbers involved.
- For money problems, work in pence for intermediate steps to avoid decimal point errors, then convert the final answer back to pounds.
- For 'how many left over' or 'how much change' problems, always subtract from the correct starting total, re-reading the question if you are unsure which amount that is.
- Double-check a word problem's answer makes sense in context, for example that a length is positive and a number of items is a whole number.
Worked example
A ribbon is 3.6 m long. Pieces of 45 cm are cut from it. Work out how many complete pieces can be cut.
- Convert the ribbon's length to centimetres: 3.6 m = 360 cm.
- Divide the total length by the length of one piece: 360 / 45 = 8.
- So 8 complete pieces of ribbon can be cut.
Practice questions
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Q1Work out 9 x 8.Show answer
Answer: 72
Q2Find 1/3 of 96.Show answer
Answer: 32
Q3Convert 2 hours 15 minutes into minutes.Show answer
Answer: 135 minutes
Q4Work out 40% of 65.Show answer
Answer: 26 (10% = 6.5, so 40% = 26)
Q5A box of 15 chocolates costs 4.50 pounds. Work out the cost of one chocolate.Show answer
Answer: 30p (4.50 / 15 = 0.30)
Q6Simplify the ratio 45:30.Show answer
Answer: 3:2 (divide both parts by 15)
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 13+ Common Entrance exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Work out 5^2 + 2^3.
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Nothing ticked yet - 2 available
A parking machine charges 60p for every 20 minutes. Work out the cost of parking for 1 hour 40 minutes.
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A tank holds 180 litres when full. It is currently 2/5 full. Water is added until the tank is 3/4 full. Work out how many litres of water are added.
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Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the mental arithmetic: practice set 4 worksheet pack - 13 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. One email opens every download in this browser for 14 days - no account, no card. Print it for personal and classroom use.
This topic is chapter 4 of 13+ Maths Workbook, the whole course as one free printable PDF.
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