Updated 2026-10-11 · by Coastline Tutors
Short answer: PSLE Maths 2026 has two papers on the same day: Paper 1 (no calculator, 1 h 10 min, 50 marks: 18 multiple-choice and 12 short-answer questions) and Paper 2 (calculator allowed, 1 h 20 min, 50 marks: 5 short-answer and 10 structured questions). 45 questions, 100 marks in all.
Coastline Tutors writes these guides from SEAB and MOE documents and published Singapore figures; each claim links to where it comes from.
The format, from SEAB
PSLE Mathematics (subject 0008), for examination from 2026, has two written papers in three booklets (SEAB):
| Paper | Booklet | Item type | Questions | Marks each | Total | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | Multiple choice | 10 | 1 | 10 | 1 h 10 min |
| 1 | A | Multiple choice | 8 | 2 | 16 | |
| 1 | B | Short answer | 12 | 2 | 24 | |
| 2 | Short answer | 5 | 2 | 10 | 1 h 20 min | |
| 2 | Structured and long answer | 10 | 3, 4 or 5 | 40 | ||
| Total | 45 | 100 | 2 h 30 min |
Both papers are on the same day with a break between them. Calculators are not allowed in Paper 1 and are allowed in Paper 2.
How the questions are marked
- Multiple choice: four options, one correct. SEAB describes the 1-mark questions as straightforward questions on basic concepts and skills.
- Short answer: for a two-part question, one mark for each part. For a one-part question, 2 marks for the correct answer, or 1 mark for the correct method if the answer is wrong. Units are given; answers must use them.
- Structured and long answer: the candidate has to show the method of solution clearly.
What it means in practice
Forty of the hundred marks sit in ten structured questions worth 3 to 5 marks each. Those are where most children’s marks move, and where clear working earns partial credit. Paper 1 rewards speed and accuracy without a calculator, which is a separate skill worth practising on its own.
See how the four ALs add up, or the Primary 6 and PSLE maths page.
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More questions
Are calculators allowed in PSLE Maths?
In Paper 2 only. Paper 1, Booklets A and B, does not allow calculators.
How long is the PSLE Maths exam?
2 hours 30 minutes in total: Paper 1 is 1 hour 10 minutes and Paper 2 is 1 hour 20 minutes, with a break between them.
Do you get marks for working?
On a one-part short-answer question, 1 of the 2 marks is awarded for a correct method if the answer is wrong. Structured questions require the method to be shown.