GMy GYM MathMOE-aligned Primary Maths
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P6 · Topic

PSLE Problem Sums

Read, draw, label, solve, check. Most PSLE marks come from the drawing.

Big Idea
Read, draw, label, solve, check. Most PSLE marks come from the drawing.
Before, Change and After problem-sum structure
BeforeChangeAfter

Draw the bars for each column, then compare.

Key points
  1. 1Underline what is given and circle exactly what is asked.
  2. 2Pick the heuristic: bar model, units, before-after, or working backwards.
  3. 3Label every bar with a number or a unit - never an unlabelled box.
  4. 4Check the answer back inside the original story before moving on.
Worked example
  1. 1Work backwards from 50.
  2. 2Add back the 18: 50 + 18 = 68.
  3. 3Undo the multiplication: 68 / 4 = 17.
Answer: 17
GYM Teaching Tip
Stuck? Ask what stays the SAME - the total, the difference, or one part?
See the question behind this example
Kumar thought of a number. He multiplied it by 4, then subtracted 18 and got 50. What was his number?