QTS Numeracy Skills Mental Arithmetic Practice Test 1

[@christopher-andrewgodlieb54]

This is great. Given that there is a lack of practice tests on the DFE website and that this resource is free...unlike some, is fantastic. Keep the videos coming!!! :)

[@garethlewismathstuition5240]

Matt Rawlinson - 35/140 pupils went on the trip. To simplify this fraction, find any number that is a common factor of both 35 and 140. For example, 5 divides into both without leaving a remainder, so is a common factor. Dividing both numerator and denominator by 5 gives 7/28. This fraction can also be simplified because the numerator and denominator have a common factor of 7. Dividing by 7 it becomes 1/4. Whichever way the fraction is simplified, you should eventually find that 1/4 of the pupils went on the trip, meaning 3/4 didn't. The question asks for the percentage. 3/4 = 75/100 (multiplying numerator and denominator by 25) and 75/100 = 75% (per cent means "out of 100")

[@stephanieparker2846]

Found this test very helpful...just passed my skills test.....thank you for your help Steph

[@garethlewismathstuition5240]

+Stephanie Parker You're welcome, Stephanie. Thanks for taking the time to say so.

[@garethlewismathstuition5240]

BM - here is a brief solution to Question 5 (Starting at 4:03) The total number of seats is 5 lots of 52 - or, mathematically speaking, 5 x 52 - which can be calculated mentally as half of 10 x 52, i.e. half of 520, which is 260. Subtracting the 10 teachers and fifteen spare seats leaves 235 seats for pupils. 235 lots of £5 is half of £2350, which is £1175.

[@StaceyRamsey18]

Gareth Lewis Maths Tuition, maybe it was just my hearing but I found that question difficult when you said how many seats would be empty. As a result, my answer was wrong as I had put 50 instead of 15!

[@garethlewis3023]

Stacey Ramsey The purpose of this question was to give students practice at listening and taking notes efficiently, and to test students' ability to multiply a number by five quickly. It doesn't matter that it was a teacher planning the trip for school children - if it had been a scout leader planning a trip for scouts, the cost would still have been the same. The focus should be on the capacity of the five coaches. Again, it could have been buses or trains, it doesn't matter. It's important that you focus your attention like this on the things that matter. Then you need to know how to calculate 5 x 52 efficiently. If you're not comfortable with working out 10 x 52 and then halving the answer (520) you can split the 52 into 50 and 2 and multiply each bit by five separately. Five lots of 50 seats is 250 seats, and five lots of 2 seats is 10 seats, so there are 260 seats all together. If you don't know your times tables instantly, I recommend the times table trainer, which is free. Go to GarethLewisMathsTuition.co.uk and in the QTS section it's the first link. Highly recommended.

[@timelordess1]

I would have found it easier if it was mentioned how much money the coaches were or something because I didn't realise I was working out money until the end and got very confused. Hence I got it wrong and ended up putting £40 as I worked out 5x52 is 260 but then don't know what I did! Just wanted to get an answer in within the time limit.

[@fabiolasorti8325]

My first attempt was wrong because calculating the number of students I assumed that the teachers were going to pay as well, So, I did [(52*5) - 15]*5 instead of [(52*5) - (15+10)]*5. Will this information be specified in the official test or can I assume it always?

[@betholeary41]

Did anyone find this harder than other practice tests??

[@jsarpong3427]

Elizabeth O'Leary slighly but the real test is deffo harder than the practice gov ones

[@betholeary41]

I did mine last week and passed! Found the mental arithmetic bit easier than the rest! The written section felt far more wordy than any of the practice tests!

[@ryankelly2109]

Elizabeth O'Leary I got 9/12 on this and struggled on the last official practice one.

[@timelordess1]

I got 5/12 on this test, some areas I'm still struggling with but having my final attempt at passing the QTS Skills test, getting five right is good for me! I would like to aim for at least seven but it's 40% so yay! I found it a little bit harder than the online practice tests (got a total score for both sections of 78% on one of them) My test is on August 13th so I'll be returning to this test before then to see if my methods improve and I get any more right :)

[@garethlewis3023]

Katie Brock The score for the mental arithmetic section is very "sensitive". Because each question's time-limited, it's very easy for your mark to increase/decrease dramatically. If you can't recall your times tables instantly, I'd strongly advise you to go to my website GarethLewisMathsTuition.co.uk and look under the QTS Numeracy Skills section. The first link directs you to a times table trainer. Select the 2x2 to 9x9 option and make sure you know all of your single digit times tables. Don't calculate, remember them! For example, remember 6 x 7 = 42 instead of counting up in sixes or sevens. Our memories are amazing - just look around you at the things you can remember the names of - so use your memory. It will increase your speed dramatically, and that may well feed through to your score on the Mental Arithmetic section.

[@timelordess1]

Thank you! I'm passing the government practice tests but I'm getting between 40% and 57% on others. I'll take a look I need all the help I can get.

[@garethlewis3023]

Katie Brock Take advantage of the free trainer. We're currently working on a version for phones and tablets, but might be too late for you. Set the practice time to 1 day (then you can stop when you want) and set the cut-off time to 4 seconds (2 seconds if you can). If you get a question wrong, the correct answer will flash up momentarily. When it flashes up say THE WHOLE THING out loud to yourself (e.g. six sevens, 42) not just the answer 42 (or whatever it is). The trainer will automatically test you on the tables you struggle most with. Don't be tempted to try to count up at all. It just isn't quick enough, you need to be fluent :-) Let me know how you get on, please.

[@shanthinikenneth2999]

is there a solution for this video, please looking solution for Q5

[@amnafazal5668]

Keep getting 50% on the arithmetic section and i am good with my times tables, now I don't know what to do?

[@mattrawlinson8631]

Do you have a solution for question 4 please?

[@angelcake1239]

You do 140 - 35 = 105 Now the fraction is 105/ 140 If you divided both numbers by 5, you get 21/ 28 These are part of the 7 x table so can be simplified to 3/4 which is equal to 75%

[@HordPianoStudio]

Good god ... Question 5 has like five plot twists ... I would never be able to solve it!

[@garethlewismathstuition5240]

+HordPianoStudio “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.” ― Henry Ford

[@garethlewismathstuition5240]

+HordPianoStudio “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs” ― Henry Ford

[@garethlewismathstuition5240]

+HordPianoStudio www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/203714.Henry_Ford

[@HordPianoStudio]

+Gareth Lewis Maths Tuition haha good quotes :) You and Henry Ford are right ;) .. I definately can't in 18 seconds .. I know myself

[@HordPianoStudio]

+Gareth Lewis Maths Tuition good videos though.. they are helping me alot .. and thanks for posting them!

[@lucijecurri7423]

Q1 480*25p=120Pound /5 adverts=24 Pounds

[@garethlewismathstuition5240]

Correct. There is more than one way to work out those calculations without a calculator, for example: 480 x 25p = 120 x 4 x 25p = 120 x 100p = 120 x £1 = £120 £120/5 = 2 x £120/10 = 2 x £12 = £24.

[@mehdilang6328]

I took a test and I failed at the first time but the mental arithmetic was very simpler than this, I guess this test is more to scare people rather than help them

[@garethlewismathstuition5240]

Thank you for your feedback. I don't think it would be helpful if this test was easier than the real ones. Given the consequences of failing three times, it's probably a good idea to err on the side of caution and if anything, over-prepare.

[@abcwelma]

how would you work out number 5 i cant seem to get the right answer

[@angelcake1239]

52x5= 260 260 - 15 - 10= 235 235 x £5 = £1175

[@garethlewismathstuition5240]

There will (hopefully) be a facility to enter your answers and see your mark on a page on my website soon, but until I get that working, I've posted the answers above. In the real test you'll get no credit for having the correct answers written down within the time limit, they have to be typed in within the time, so I'm trying to replicate that.