Mental Arithmetic: Practice Set 2
Mental Arithmetic: Practice Set 2 is a second timed set of 13+ Common Entrance mental arithmetic questions, giving further rapid practice at the four operations, fractions, percentages, ratio and simple algebra without long written working, alongside the questions in Mental Arithmetic (CE.M7).
Method
- Revise your times tables to 12 x 12 and their matching division facts, since Set 2 keeps testing instant recall rather than working out.
- Use doubling and halving to simplify awkward multiplications and divisions, such as multiplying by 4 by doubling twice, or dividing by 5 by dividing by 10 then doubling.
- Convert between common fractions, decimals and percentages instantly (1/2, 1/4, 1/5, 1/10 and their percentage and decimal forms), since Set 2 often swaps between the three within one question.
- For multi-step word problems, work out and note the answer to each step in order, rather than trying to hold every number in your head at once.
- For ratio and proportion questions, find the value of one part first, then scale up or down to answer what is actually being asked.
- Sense-check every answer against the size of the numbers in the question before moving on, since an unrealistic answer often means a step was mixed up.
Worked example
A recipe for 8 people uses 600g of flour. Work out how much flour is needed for 6 people.
- Find how much flour is needed per person: 600 / 8 = 75g.
- Multiply by the number of people needed: 75 x 6 = 450.
- So 450g of flour is needed for 6 people.
Practice questions
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Q1Work out 15% of 60.Show answer
Answer: 9 (10% = 6, 5% = 3, 15% = 9)
Q2Find 3/4 of 88.Show answer
Answer: 66 (88 / 4 = 22, then 22 x 3 = 66)
Q3Work out 7 x 9 - 4 x 5.Show answer
Answer: 43 (multiply first: 63 - 20 = 43)
Q4A journey of 240 km takes 4 hours at a constant speed. Work out the speed in km/h.Show answer
Answer: 60 km/h (240 / 4 = 60)
Q5Simplify the ratio 18:24 to its simplest form.Show answer
Answer: 3:4 (divide both parts by 6)
Q6Work out -9 + 15.Show answer
Answer: 6
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 13+ Common Entrance exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Work out 6^2 - 5^2.
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A shop buys pens for 40p each and sells them for 65p each. Work out the profit made on selling 30 pens.
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Layla shares 84 sweets with her brother in the ratio 5:2. She then gives 1/3 of her share to a friend. Work out how many sweets Layla has left.
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Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the mental arithmetic: practice set 2 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 2 of 13+ Maths Workbook, the whole course as one free printable PDF.
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