Quick Sums

One minute, a keypad and as many sums as you can solve.

A small problem sits on the card, the clock runs for sixty seconds, and you type answers on the keypad. A correct answer moves on by itself. After each fifth correct answer the operands get a little bigger, so a calm start turns into proper mental arithmetic by the end of the minute.

How to play

Read the problem and type the answer. You do not need to press anything when it is right.
If you are stuck, press OK to move on. It counts as a wrong answer and shows the correct one briefly.
Every five correct answers, the numbers step up. There are five steps in each level.
The round ends when the minute is up.

Levels and modes

AdditionAddition runs from single digits to three-digit sums.
SubtractionSubtraction is built so that the answer is never below zero.
MultiplicationMultiplication starts at the times tables and moves beyond them.
DivisionDivision always divides exactly.
MixedMixed draws all four operations in one minute.
PercentagesPercentages are chosen so the answer is always a whole number, such as 25% of 80.

What your result means

Your score is simply how many problems you solved correctly before the minute ran out. Alongside it the card lists wrong answers, accuracy and your average time per answer in seconds, which shows quite clearly whether you tend to hurry or to dither.

Tips from the tea table

Round and adjust: 38 + 47 is 40 + 47 minus two.
For subtraction, count up from the smaller number instead of down from the larger one.
Percentages are friendlier as fractions: 25% is a quarter, 75% is three quarters, 20% is a fifth.
A skipped problem costs less time than a long stare. Press OK and keep the rhythm.

Questions

Will I see negative numbers or decimals?

Never. Answers are always whole numbers from zero upwards, which is why the keypad has digits only.

What does the OK button do?

It submits what you typed. A right answer moves on without it; OK is for giving up on a problem or confirming a wrong guess.

Why did the numbers suddenly get bigger?

Every five correct answers the operands grow one step. The toast on the card tells you when it happens.

Can I type with the keyboard?

Yes: number keys, Backspace to correct and Enter for OK.

Tea sets with Quick Sums

These sets pour Quick Sums as one of their three cups:

How each kind of task works