Whole Numbers Test Questions
Below are sample questions from the TIMSS achievement tests in Science administered to twenty-six countries. TIMSS is a research project sponsored by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). These questions may be used in the classroom, as a tool for evaluation, or to provide examples of test-question writing.
 
Grades 3 and 4

1. When you subtract one of the numbers below from 900, the answer is greater than 300. Which number is it?
A. 823
B. 712
C. 667

D. 579

Answer: D

 

2. What is 3 times 23 ?
A. 323
B. 233
C. 69

D. 26

Answer: C

 

3. Subtract: 6000-2369=
A. 4369
B. 3742
C. 3631

D. 3531

Answer: C

 

4. 25 x 18 is more than 24 x 18. How much more?
A. 1
B. 18
C. 24

D. 25

Answer: B

 

5. Add: 6971 + 5291 =
A. 11162
B. 12162
C. 12262

D. 1211162

Answer: C

 

6. In which of the pair of numbers is the second number 100 more than the first number?
A. 199 and 209
B. 4236 and 4246
C. 9635 and 9735

D. 51863 and 52863

Answer: C

 

7. q stands for a number. 7 x q will always give the same answer as
A. q x 7
B. q + 7
C. q - 7
D. 7 + q

E. q / 7

Answer: A

 

8. John wanted to use his calculator to add 1463 and 319. He entered 1263 + 319 by mistake. What could he do to correct his mistake?
A. Add 200
B. Add 2
C. Subtract 2

D. Subtract 200

Answer: A

 

9. Which of these is the largest number?
A. 2735
B. 2537
C. 2573

D. 2753

Answer: D

 

10. Here is a number sentence
2000 + q + 30 + 9 = 2739
What number goes where q is to make this sentence true?
Answer:__________

 

Answer: 700

 

11. What is the smallest whole number that you can make using the digits 4, 3, 9 and 1 ? Use each digit only once.
Answer:__________

 

Answer: 1349

 

12.

Addition Fact

4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 20
Write the addition fact as a multiplication fact.
_____x_____=_____

 

Answer: 4 x 5 = 20 or 5 x 4 = 20

 

13. Write the number that is 1000 more than 56821.
Answer: __________

 

Answer: 57821

 

14. In a game, Msyong and Naoki are making addition problems. They each have four cars like these.
1
2
3
4
The winner of the game is the person who can make the problem with the largest answer.
Msyong placed the cards like this. Naoki placed the cards like this.
4
3
3
1
2
1
2
4
+_________________
+______________

 

Who won the game?________________
How do you know? _____________________________________
Write numbers in the squares below to show how you would place the cards to beat both Mysong and Naoki.
+_________________

 

Answer: Mysong. 64 and 55 are shown (or 9 which is the difference between 64 and 55) with correct verbal explanation.

Answer for part b: One of the following: 42 + 31; 41 + 32; 31 + 42; or 32 + 41