What makes a good practice question?
A useful practice question makes you choose a method, not just press buttons. It should be clear enough to review, but varied enough to make you read carefully: What is the whole? What are the units? Is the graph scale obvious? What is the question actually asking for?
20 original LANTITE-style numeracy examples
Percentage: Question: A class has 32 students. 75% submitted an assignment. How many submitted it?
Explanation: 75% is three quarters. 32 / 4 = 8, then 3 x 8 = 24.
Answer: 24 students.
Fraction: Question: Two thirds of 36 library books are fiction. How many are fiction?
Explanation: 36 / 3 = 12, then 2 x 12 = 24.
Answer: 24 books.
Ratio: Question: The ratio of adult helpers to students is 1:6. There are 42 students. How many adult helpers are needed?
Explanation: One helper is needed for every 6 students. 42 / 6 = 7.
Answer: 7 adult helpers.
Rate: Question: A student types 180 words in 6 minutes. What is the typing rate per minute?
Explanation: 180 / 6 = 30.
Answer: 30 words per minute.
Table: Question: A table shows 14, 19 and 27 students in three groups. What is the total?
Explanation: 14 + 19 + 27 = 60.
Answer: 60 students.
Graph scale: Question: A bar graph has a scale of 4 books per grid line. A bar reaches 7 grid lines. How many books?
Explanation: 7 x 4 = 28.
Answer: 28 books.
Measurement: Question: Convert 2.45 kilograms to grams.
Explanation: 1 kilogram = 1,000 grams. 2.45 x 1,000 = 2,450.
Answer: 2,450 grams.
Average: Question: Four quiz scores are 6, 7, 8 and 9. What is the mean score?
Explanation: 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 = 30. 30 / 4 = 7.5.
Answer: 7.5.
Money: Question: 12 folders cost $3.50 each. What is the total cost?
Explanation: 12 x 3.50 = 42.
Answer: $42.
Probability: Question: A spinner has 8 equal sections. 3 are blue. What is the probability of blue?
Explanation: Blue sections are 3 out of 8.
Answer: 3/8.
No-calculator: Question: Calculate 19 x 21 mentally.
Explanation: Use 20 x 21 = 420, then subtract one group of 21. 420 - 21 = 399.
Answer: 399.
Percentage change: Question: A school newsletter increased from 80 subscribers to 100 subscribers. What is the percentage increase?
Explanation: The increase is 20. 20 / 80 = 0.25, which is 25%.
Answer: 25%.
Fraction to percentage: Question: 18 out of 24 students attended a lunchtime session. What percentage attended?
Explanation: 18 / 24 simplifies to 3 / 4. Three quarters is 75%.
Answer: 75%.
Ratio sharing: Question: 30 counters are shared in the ratio 2:3 for red to blue. How many blue counters are there?
Explanation: There are 5 equal parts. 30 / 5 = 6, so the blue share is 3 x 6 = 18.
Answer: 18 blue counters.
Measurement: Question: Eight drink bottles each hold 750 millilitres. How many litres do they hold in total?
Explanation: 8 x 750 = 6,000 millilitres. 1,000 millilitres = 1 litre, so 6,000 millilitres = 6 litres.
Answer: 6 litres.
Time: Question: A workshop starts at 9:20 am and runs for 1 hour 35 minutes. What time does it finish?
Explanation: Add 1 hour to reach 10:20 am. Add 35 minutes to reach 10:55 am.
Answer: 10:55 am.
Area: Question: A rectangular classroom display is 7 metres long and 4 metres high. What is its area?
Explanation: Area of a rectangle is length x height. 7 x 4 = 28.
Answer: 28 square metres.
Median: Question: Five quiz scores are 3, 8, 5, 9 and 5. What is the median score?
Explanation: Put the scores in order: 3, 5, 5, 8, 9. The middle score is 5.
Answer: 5.
Discount: Question: A teaching resource costs $48 and is discounted by 25%. What is the sale price?
Explanation: 25% is one quarter. One quarter of $48 is $12. $48 - $12 = $36.
Answer: $36.
Data interpretation: Question: In a survey of 120 students, 45 chose soccer as their favourite sport. What fraction chose soccer?
Explanation: The fraction is 45 / 120. Divide both numbers by 15 to get 3 / 8.
Answer: 3/8.
Common mistakes
- Using the part as the whole in a percentage question.
- Ignoring graph scales and reading only the picture.
- Mixing units before converting.
- Rounding too early.
- Answering a different question from the one asked.
How to practise more efficiently
After each question, say the method out loud or write one line explaining it. That small habit makes revision more useful because you are training the first step, not only checking the final number.