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No. 01 · PSLE Math · Parent guide

PSLE Math heuristics.

No. 02 · Quick answer

PSLE Math heuristics are the standard problem-solving methods every Singapore Primary 6 student is expected to know. The MOE syllabus lists six: bar models, units and parts, before-and-after, working backwards, equal stages and supposition. PSLE markers award method marks against these. Pick the heuristic that matches the question shape.

Reviewed by the Geniebook Math curriculum team

No. 03 · The six heuristics

  1. Bar model

    When
    Problem sums with parts and wholes, ratios, fractions of quantities.
    How
    Draw a long rectangle for the whole. Cut into parts. Label what is known, label what is unknown. Use the bar to read off the answer.

  2. Units and parts

    When
    Two related quantities where one is a multiple or fraction of the other.
    How
    Call the smaller quantity '1 unit'. Express the other in units. Form an equation, solve for one unit, scale back.

  3. Before-and-after

    When
    Quantities change (transfer, spent, gained) and the question asks about the original or final amount.
    How
    Draw the bars before. Draw the bars after, scaled to the same total or remainder. Compare the two diagrams to find the change.

  4. Working backwards

    When
    The question gives the final state and asks for the start.
    How
    Reverse every operation in order. If the last step was a doubling, undo it by halving. Work upward through the chain.

  5. Equal stages

    When
    Two quantities reach the same value at some point, or change at different rates until equal.
    How
    Set up the unknown as 'after t units of time'. Express both quantities at time t. Set equal, solve for t.

  6. Supposition

    When
    Two unknowns, one constraint on the total. Common in counting problems (chickens and rabbits).
    How
    Suppose every item is the cheaper or smaller kind. Compute the total. Compare to the actual total. The difference tells you how many are the other kind.
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No. 04 · Frequently asked

Frequently asked questions

What are PSLE Math heuristics?
PSLE Math heuristics are the standard problem-solving methods Singapore Primary 6 students use on the PSLE Math paper. The MOE syllabus lists six core heuristics: bar models, units and parts, before-and-after, working backwards, equal stages and supposition. Markers expect to see one of these methods used in the working.
Which heuristic should my child use?
It depends on the question shape. Problem sums with parts and wholes call for bar models. Multiple-of-each-other quantities call for units and parts. Final-state questions call for working backwards. There is no single best heuristic, the right one is the one that matches the question shape.
Are bar models still required?
Yes. Bar models remain the dominant method for PSLE problem sums and Singapore primary schools teach them from Primary 3. Markers award method marks for a clear bar model even if the final answer is wrong.
Can my child use algebra instead?
PSLE-level algebra is taught from Primary 6 and accepted in working. Most students still use bar models because they are faster on the page and the markers are trained to award marks against them.
How does GenieOne teach heuristics?
Coach Incredible (the Math specialist tutor inside GenieOne) names the heuristic when it applies, draws the bar model in the chat and walks through the working line by line. Free to try at genie1.ai.
Where can I find more PSLE Math practice?
Inside GenieOne, ask Coach Incredible for a similar question at the same difficulty after a worked example. The tutor generates one and checks the answer. Geniebook also runs CAMPUS, seven Singapore mall-based tutoring centres for in-person classes.