Weekend Primary 6 Mathematics
Primary 6 applies everything from Primary 5 to harder, multi-step problems, and adds circles and averages — two topics that show up often in the PSLE's later papers.
More of Primary 5's toolkit, applied harder
- Multi-step word problems that combine fractions, ratio and percentage in one question.
- Finding unknown angles in figures built from several shapes at once.
- Composite area and volume problems, including finding a missing dimension.
Circles: circumference and area
Circles are new at Primary 6, and the two formulas — circumference and area — look similar enough to get mixed up under exam pressure. The reliable habit is writing down which one the question is actually asking for before picking a formula, especially once semicircles and quarter circles enter the mix.
Qn 1
The diameter of a circular pond is 14 m. Find its circumference. (Take π = 22/7.)
C = π × d
C = 22/7 × 14
The circumference is 44 m ✓
Average: working backwards
Primary 6 doesn't just ask for an average — it often gives the average and asks students to work backwards to find a missing total or a missing value, using the link between average, total and number of items. That reversal is where most mistakes happen.
Qn 2
The average mass of 4 boys is 42 kg. A fifth boy joins them, and the new average becomes 40 kg. Find the mass of the fifth boy.
Total for 4 boys = 42 × 4 = 168 kg
Total for 5 boys = 40 × 5 = 200 kg
Fifth boy's mass = 200 − 168 = 32 kg ✓
Also see P6 English
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