Timed Drill
Learn
Being able to solve problems quickly is an important skill. On tests like the SAT and ACT, you have limited time. Let's practice working faster while staying accurate!
Tips for Timed Practice
Tip 1: Read Carefully First
Don't rush the reading! Understanding the problem saves time. Read the question, look at the diagram, then solve.
Tip 2: Know Your Question Types
Quickly identify if it's counting, comparison, part-part-whole, or a graph problem. This tells you what strategy to use.
Tip 3: Use the Diagram
The diagram is there to help! Don't ignore it. Point, count, and mark on it if you need to.
Tip 4: Check Your Work
If you finish early, go back and check. A quick double-check can catch silly mistakes.
How to Use This Drill
- Ask a parent or teacher to time you, OR use a timer
- Try to complete all 12 problems in 10 minutes
- That's about 50 seconds per problem
- Write your answers, then check at the end
- Record how many you got right!
Warm-Up Examples
Try these two problems first to get ready. Take about 1 minute for both.
Warm-Up A
Count the dots:
. . . .
. . . . .
. . .
Answer: 12 dots (4 + 5 + 3 = 12)
Warm-Up B
Kim has 8 stickers. Lee has 5 stickers. How many more does Kim have?
Answer: 3 more stickers (8 - 5 = 3)
Timed Practice
Goal: Complete all 12 problems in 10 minutes.
Ready? Set your timer and begin!
Problem 1
Count all the hearts:
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
<3 <3 <3
Answer: _______
Problem 2
Anna has 14 beads. She uses 6 to make a bracelet. How many beads are left?
Answer: _______
Problem 3
Look at the picture graph of books read:
Week 1: [book][book][book][book]
Week 2: [book][book][book][book][book][book]
Week 3: [book][book][book]
How many books were read in Week 2?
Answer: _______
Problem 4
Ben has 9 toy cars. Max has 12 toy cars. How many fewer cars does Ben have?
Answer: _______
Problem 5
There are 7 birds in a tree and 8 birds on the ground. How many birds in all?
Answer: _______
Problem 6
Count the stars in each row. Which row has the most?
Row A: * * * * * *
Row B: * * * * * * * *
Row C: * * * * *
Answer: _______
Problem 7
There are 16 crayons total. 9 are new. The rest are used. How many are used?
Answer: _______
Problem 8
Look at the picture graph of favorite sports:
Soccer: [ball][ball][ball][ball][ball]
Basketball: [ball][ball][ball]
Baseball: [ball][ball][ball][ball]
How many more students like soccer than basketball?
Answer: _______
Problem 9
Sara made 11 cookies. She gave 4 to her brother. How many does she have now?
Answer: _______
Problem 10
Count all the shapes:
O O O O
[] [] []
O O
How many circles (O) are there?
Answer: _______
Problem 11
Team Red has 13 points. Team Blue has 8 points. How many more points does Team Red have?
Answer: _______
Problem 12
There are 18 students in class. 10 are girls. How many are boys?
Answer: _______
Check Your Understanding
How Did You Do?
Stop your timer! Write down your time: _______ minutes
Now check your answers below and count how many you got right.
Answer Key
- 8 hearts (5 + 3 = 8)
- 8 beads (14 - 6 = 8)
- 6 books
- 3 fewer cars (12 - 9 = 3)
- 15 birds (7 + 8 = 15)
- Row B (8 stars)
- 7 used crayons (16 - 9 = 7)
- 2 more students (5 - 3 = 2)
- 7 cookies (11 - 4 = 7)
- 6 circles (4 + 2 = 6)
- 5 more points (13 - 8 = 5)
- 8 boys (18 - 10 = 8)
Score Guide
- 10-12 correct: Excellent! You're ready for the mixed set!
- 7-9 correct: Good work! Review the ones you missed.
- 4-6 correct: Keep practicing! Try the drill again.
- 0-3 correct: Go back and review the earlier lessons first.
Reflection Questions
1. Which problem types were easiest for you?
2. Which problem types took the most time?
3. Did you use the diagrams to help you?
4. What will you do differently next time?
Next Steps
- If you scored 7 or below, try this drill again tomorrow
- Practice the problem types that were hardest for you
- Move on to Review Mistakes to learn from errors