PSLE Mathematics support that helps your child work it out
MOE/SEAB Primary Mathematics (PSLE 0008): whole numbers, fractions, decimals, ratio, percentage, rate and speed, bar model drawing and heuristics, area and perimeter of composite figures, volume, angles and data analysis.
8 tracked MOE/SEAB skills, from whole numbers, order of operations, factors and multiples to angles in geometric figures, symmetry and data tables/graphs. The tutor asks focused questions, your child tests the next step, and the understanding stays theirs.
Beta subject: PSLE Mathematics uses a domain-specific Socratic rubric and is currently marked Beta while we benchmark its scaffolding across full Primary 3–6 (PSLE 0008) papers.
What a psle mathematics tutor covers
Each skill is tracked separately so strong chapters never mask a shaky prerequisite.
- 1
Whole numbers, order of operations, factors and multiples
Foundation skillApply place value up to 10 million, four operations with brackets, common factors and common multiples in word problems.
- 2
Fractions and decimals (four operations and remainder concepts)
Builds on Whole numbers, order of operations, factors and multiplesAdd, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and decimals, and solve multi-step “fraction of a remainder” problems.
- 3
Bar model drawing and non-routine problem heuristics
Builds on Fractions and decimals (four operations and remainder concepts)Represent part-whole, comparison, before-and-after, constant total, constant difference and working-backwards models.
- 4
Ratio, equivalent ratios and changing ratios
Builds on Bar model drawing and non-routine problem heuristicsConnect ratios to fractions, unify repeated identities and solve before-and-after ratio transfers.
- 5
Percentage, discount, GST and percentage change
Builds on Ratio, equivalent ratios and changing ratiosFind the whole from a part, calculate percentage increase/decrease, and solve discount and GST word problems.
- 6
Rate, distance, time and average speed
Builds on Fractions and decimals (four operations and remainder concepts)Relate distance, time and speed, convert units, and analyse two-object meeting and catch-up journeys.
- 7
Area and perimeter of composite figures, circles, nets and volume
Foundation skillFind perimeter and area of composite triangles, rectangles, semicircles and quarter-circles, and volume of cuboids and liquid flow.
- 8
Angles in geometric figures, symmetry and data tables/graphs
Foundation skillUse angle properties of triangles, parallelograms, rhombuses and trapeziums, and interpret line graphs, pie charts and averages.
How a psle mathematics session unfolds
The student starts by asking for the answer—and ends up solving the key step themselves.
- Student
Ali had 3 times as many marbles as Bala. After Ali gave 24 marbles to Bala, they had an equal number. How many did Ali have at first?
- Tutor
Let’s draw a before-and-after bar model rather than guessing numbers. Draw the “before” bars for Ali and Bala in equal units, and tell me the total number of units.
- Student
Ali has 3 units and Bala has 1 unit, so 4 units altogether.
- Tutor
Good! Nothing leaves or enters the game when Ali gives marbles to Bala, so those 4 units stay constant. When they end up equal at the end, how many units must each boy have?
- Student
2 units each! That means Ali gave away 1 unit, so 1 unit = 24 marbles, and Ali had 3 × 24 = 72 marbles at first.
- Tutor
You solved it cleanly with one bar model. Now check it: if Ali starts with 72 and Bala starts with 24, what happens after Ali gives 24 to Bala?
About this illustrative example
This walkthrough is an illustrative script written to show how the five-level hint progression works in PSLE Mathematics, not a transcript from a real student account.
Is your child stuck on a psle mathematics question?
Bring a school worksheet problem from this week, or try our interactive whiteboard first with zero login required.
How skill progress is recorded
Sessions build a clear skill record for the student and a calm, read-only summary for linked parents.
One bar per skill
Mastery is tracked skill by skill, not as a single subject percentage, so a strong topic cannot hide a weak one.
The hint level counts
Getting something right with one small hint moves the bar more than getting it right after five. The number we show you reflects how much help you needed.
Built from an event log
Every attempt, hint and explanation is recorded as an event, and the bars are calculated from that history. It can be replayed, which means the numbers are reproducible rather than asserted.
A parent sees the same numbers
A linked parent gets the same skill bars, the last judgement and its line of evidence behind each level, the recent session summaries and the flag counts — read-only, and nothing that is not also on your own pages.
8 skill bars, tracked independently
In psle mathematics, that means 8 separate skill bars — whole numbers, order of operations, factors and multiples, fractions and decimals (four operations and remainder concepts), bar model drawing and non-routine problem heuristics, and the rest — each updating based on verified problem steps. Linked parents see the same topic bars and session takeaways in read-only mode.
PSLE Mathematics FAQs
Common questions from parents about this subject on tutor.ai.
Does the tutor use Primary bar models or Secondary algebra?
It uses Singapore Primary bar models (part-whole, comparison, before-and-after, constant total and constant difference) and unitary heuristics, matching how PSLE Mathematics (0008) is taught and marked in Primary 3–6.
Can my child draw their bar model on the whiteboard?
Yes — drawing equal units, brackets and transfers on the shared whiteboard is the fastest way for the tutor to check where a multi-step word problem went off track.
Which PSLE Mathematics topics are covered?
Aligned to the MOE Primary 3–6 PSLE Mathematics (0008) syllabus. Eight skills, in syllabus order: Whole numbers, order of operations, factors and multiples; Fractions and decimals (four operations and remainder concepts); Bar model drawing and non-routine problem heuristics; Ratio, equivalent ratios and changing ratios; Percentage, discount, GST and percentage change; Rate, distance, time and average speed; Area and perimeter of composite figures, circles, nets and volume; and Angles in geometric figures, symmetry and data tables/graphs.
Will it give the final answer to a Paper 2 word problem?
Never. It asks which quantity stays unchanged or how many equal units represent the known value, guiding the student to calculate each step themselves.
More primary subjects
Other primary subjects your child can work on, each with its own skill list.
Primary 3–4 Mathematics
MOE Primary Mathematics for Primary 3 and 4: whole numbers to 100 000, the four operations, multiplication tables up to 9, fractions and decimals, money, time, length, mass and volume, area and perimeter of squares and rectangles, angles, symmetry and bar graphs.
PSLE Science
MOE/SEAB Primary Science (PSLE 0009) across Diversity, Cycles, Systems, Interactions and Energy: life cycles, plant and human systems, water and matter cycles, photosynthesis and respiration, forces, energy conversions and open-ended CER scientific explanations.
PSLE English Language
MOE/SEAB Primary English Language (PSLE 0001): Paper 1 situational writing and continuous composition (3-picture stimulus), Paper 2 grammar, synthesis & transformation, comprehension cloze and open-ended comprehension, plus stimulus-based conversation.
PSLE Mother Tongue Languages
MOE/SEAB Primary Mother Tongue Languages — Chinese (0002 / Higher Chinese 0005), Malay (0003) and Tamil (0004): character/vocabulary recognition and Pinyin/spelling, sentence synthesis and ordering (完成句子), comprehension cloze (综合填空), graphic-stimulus and open-ended reading comprehension, 4-picture/topic composition (看图作文 / 命题作文) and e-Oral video conversation.
Bring your child's psle mathematics question
Free during testing, with no credit card required.