Primary 6 · Mathematics · Word Problems

Word Problems questions for Primary 6 Maths

10 questions to work through online. Answer and you get the working straight away, then a score at the end. No sign-up, and you can retake it as often as you like.

  • Fraction of a remainder
  • Ratio
  • Percentage
  • Average speed
  • Average
  • Rate
  • Fraction of money
  • Changing ratio
  • Two-step with remainder
0 of 10 answered
Question 1 of 10Fraction of a remainder
A baker had 360 buns. He sold 1/5 of them in the morning and 1/4 of the remainder in the afternoon. How many buns were left?
Question 2 of 10Ratio
The ratio of men to women at a concert is 4 : 7. There are 36 more women than men. How many people are at the concert?
Question 3 of 10Percentage
A printer costs $80. During a sale it is 15% off. What is the sale price?
Question 4 of 10Average speed
A van travels 180 km to a warehouse at 60 km/h and returns the same way at 90 km/h. What is its average speed for the round trip?
Question 5 of 10Average
After 3 tests Farah's average was 68 marks. What must she score in the fourth test for her average to be 74?
Question 6 of 10Rate
Tap A fills a tank at 8 litres a minute and Tap B at 4 litres a minute. Both are turned on. How long does it take to fill a 120-litre tank?
Question 7 of 10Fraction of money
After spending 2/5 of his money on a jacket, Kumar had $27 left. How much did the jacket cost?
Question 8 of 10Changing ratio
A box holds red and green beads in the ratio 5 : 2. After 21 red beads are removed, the ratio becomes 2 : 1. How many green beads are there?
Question 9 of 10Percentage
45% of the 80 children in a club walk home. How many children do NOT walk home?
Question 10 of 10Two-step with remainder
A librarian packs 275 books into boxes of 12. How many boxes does she need so that every book is packed?
Answers and explanations for all 10 questions

Every answer with the reasoning behind it. Worth reading after you have tried the set — or on its own, if you are a parent marking it.

  1. A baker had 360 buns. He sold 1/5 of them in the morning and 1/4 of the remainder in the afternoon. How many buns were left?

    Answer: 216

    Morning leaves 4/5 × 360 = 288. Afternoon sells 1/4 of 288 = 72, leaving 288 − 72 = 216.

  2. The ratio of men to women at a concert is 4 : 7. There are 36 more women than men. How many people are at the concert?

    Answer: 132

    The difference is 7 − 4 = 3 units = 36, so 1 unit = 12. Altogether 11 units = 132 people.

  3. A printer costs $80. During a sale it is 15% off. What is the sale price?

    Answer: $68

    15% of $80 is $12, so the sale price is $68.

  4. A van travels 180 km to a warehouse at 60 km/h and returns the same way at 90 km/h. What is its average speed for the round trip?

    Answer: 72 km/h

    Out 3 h + back 2 h = 5 h for 360 km, so the average is 72 km/h.

  5. After 3 tests Farah's average was 68 marks. What must she score in the fourth test for her average to be 74?

    Answer: 92

    She needs 4 × 74 = 296 and has 3 × 68 = 204, so the fourth test needs 92.

  6. Tap A fills a tank at 8 litres a minute and Tap B at 4 litres a minute. Both are turned on. How long does it take to fill a 120-litre tank?

    Answer: 10 min

    Together they fill 12 litres a minute, and 120 ÷ 12 = 10 min.

  7. After spending 2/5 of his money on a jacket, Kumar had $27 left. How much did the jacket cost?

    Answer: $18.00

    The $27 is 3/5 of what he started with, so 1/5 is $9 and the jacket (2/5) cost $18.00.

  8. A box holds red and green beads in the ratio 5 : 2. After 21 red beads are removed, the ratio becomes 2 : 1. How many green beads are there?

    Answer: 42

    Green stays at 2 units. The original 5 : 2 becoming 2 : 1 means the red beads dropped from 5u to 4u, so 1u = 21 and the 2 green units are 42.

  9. 45% of the 80 children in a club walk home. How many children do NOT walk home?

    Answer: 44

    100% − 45% = 55%, and 55% of 80 is 44 children.

  10. A librarian packs 275 books into boxes of 12. How many boxes does she need so that every book is packed?

    Answer: 23

    275 ÷ 12 = 22 remainder 11, and those last 11 books still need a box, so 23 boxes are needed.