PSLE Math Exam & Its Importance

Math is one of the five mandatory subjects all Primary students learn in Singapore. The Math syllabus drafted by Singapore's Ministry of Education is vast and complex. The PSLE Math exam held at the end of Primary 6 tests the student's ability to understand and apply Math concepts.Revision to master PSLE Math question and answers requires long-term practice. However, what if your child is doing last-minute revision? In this article, we have shared some last-minute revision tips and exam guidelines to confidently tackle the P6 PSLE Math paper. Let's get on with the our last-minute PSLE Math revision guide.

8 Ways to Make Last-Minute PSLE Math Revision Worthwhile

1. Prepare a mind map, cheat sheet, or concept map to revise the following concepts from the PSLE Math syllabus:

• Algebra: How to represent an unknown number, evaluate expressions by substitution, and simplify algebraic expressions.
• Find the unknown angles in various geometrical shapes.
• Speed
• Area of the circumference of a circle, the volume of cube and cuboid, breaking down a composite figure into a square, circle, or triangle.
• Percentages, fractions, and ratios.

2. Workout as many problems to improve the chances of getting them right. The more problems your child can solve, the better their confidence will be.3. Practice the tough topics rather than spending time on fairly easy ones.4. Prepare a mock exam question paper or try to download some of them from a Math website. Ask your child to take these mock exams and track the time. These mock exams will help acclimatise your child to the real exam environment and help them understand how to make use of the time to complete the entire question paper.5. Plan a last-minute revision schedule and strictly adhere to it.6. Use the Pomodoro technique to revise in small chunks with adequate breaks. This method will help students stay focused and optimise the limited time.7. Make a list of all the important topics to be covered before your child starts with their last-minute revision.8. Lastly, ensure your child does not worry about the Math exam. While a little worry can help to keep your child focussed on the task at hand, it should not manifest into a source of stress. Rather, it should give your child a chance to process and retain all the details they have learnt in this short time.The PSLE Math exam is notoriously famous for being tricky. The question paper has been the centre of many controversies and debates over the past few years. The truth is this: PSLE Math is tough but not unconquerable. With enough confidence and hard work, your child can surely ace the exam and score amazing marks.

Also Read : How to Memorise Math Formulae for PSLE Math Exams

Below are some expert tips for handling PSLE Math, whether it is a last-minute or a long-term preparation.

How to Tackle PSLE Math Paper: 6 Expert Guidelines to Crack the Math Exam

1. Strengthen your basicsIt is perfectly okay to revisit and reinforce basic Mathematical concepts like addition, multiplication, subtraction, division, decimals, percentages, and fractions. Do not forget that most questions are based on these fundamentals.2. Understand negative numbersA good understanding of negative numbers will help your child navigate difficult sums requiring multiplication, division, ratios, and integers. Over the past few years, many challenging PSLE Math questions have revolved around tricky ratio problems and conversions involving integers and fractions. Hence, it is vital to prioritise these aspects during the revision process.3. Remember important unitsRead the question carefully because some specifically mention which units must be used. Using the given unit along with the final answer is very important.4. Practice mental MathYour child's PSLE revision strategy should include mental math practice for at least ten or twenty minutes daily. Mental Math will sharpen your child's number skills and enable them to do simple calculations without using a pen or paper.5. Analyse previous question papersAssess previous academic years' question papers for hard PSLE Math questions, especially with MCQs. Ask your child to attempt tricky ones to understand first-hand what to expect in the exam. Also, try to identify prevalent pattern problems that are likely to be tested again.6. Make practise a habitThere is one thing all experts will advise you on: diligent practice. Consistent practice instils confidence, helps identify mistakes, and provides much-needed exposure to handling tricky P6 Math questions.Exam stress is common, and every student and parent will experience a bit of anxiety on D-Day. When the day of the PSLE Math exam dawns, your child will probably experience a little tension, which is okay. What's not okay is to let the tension and anxiety go overboard. We leave you with some effective exam tips to help your child overcome exam anxiety and face the PSLE Math paper with self-assurance.

PSLE Math Exam Tips: What to do On D-Day

• Sleep early and give the brain a much-needed rest and rejuvenation to process and retain all that has been learnt over the past few days.
• Have a light but fulfilling breakfast to get the energy to sit through the exam without feeling tired or hungry.
• Get all the exam stationery ready, such as:

1.Calculator2.Geometry box3.Ruler4.Pen5.Pencils6.Eraser

• Read the question paper carefully before attempting to answer any of the questions.
• Use the time wisely. The Math paper duration is 50 minutes for Paper 1 and 1 hour and 40 minutes for Paper 2.
• Attempt the easy questions first and come back for the tough ones later.
• Avoid scribbling your calculations carelessly across the answering sheet.
• Check the entire answer sheet to ensure that all the questions are answered and marked correctly.
• DO NOT LEAVE ANY QUESTION UNANSWERED. Try to attempt all questions within the stipulated time.

The Bottom LineYour child's PSLE revision does not have to be a stressful process. Simplify their efforts by subscribing to StudySmart- Singapore's favourite PSLE online revision app. Click here to know more about StudySmart and its advantages.