Time and Accuracy

We have developed questions and worksheets with specific target times to build proficiency at every stage in math, from kindergarten to fifth grade, and have used them for tutoring. Our exercises cover number sense, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, fractions, prime numbers (including GCF and LCM), telling time, and units of measure. Some of our sample worksheets for topics in addition include: sequential addition without carryover, randomized addition without carryover, combinations of numbers that add up to 10, 45 patterns of addition with carryover, and a randomized addition table.

We use the following worksheet to ensure students’ proficiency in carryover addition and encourage them to memorize patterns. We expect all students to complete this worksheet with 100% accuracy in 2 minutes and 30 seconds at most – preferably 2 minutes. We encourage you to try this worksheet with your child if your child is of elementary school age.

The worksheet above is an exercise in single-digit addition. We expect all first graders to complete this worksheet with 100% accuracy in 3 minutes. During a first attempt, the average time elapsed is 6 minutes and 23 seconds, with a standard deviation of 2 minutes and 5 seconds. This means that about 2/3 of students complete the worksheet between 4 minutes and 18 seconds and 8 minutes and 28 seconds. The average number of errors made during the first attempt is 0.97.

If your child is in second grade or older and takes more than 6 minutes and 30 seconds to complete the above worksheet, you should be concerned with the proficiency of your child’s addition skills. If you observe your child while he or she fills out the worksheet, you can immediately tell which combinations are areas of weakness for your child.

Additionally, if your child makes more than two mistakes during any given exercise, a red light will start to flash.

The advantages of our worksheets are:

• Clear depiction of your child’s weaknesses
• Ability to measure progress
• Training your child’s focus
• Brevity

The majority of students hit the target time with 100% accuracy in three weeks and enjoy the challenge.

Please try the above worksheets with your child to ensure his or her proficiency. Do not show your child any signs of negativity, even if he or she cannot immediately reach the target time. Instead, praise and encourage your child’s effort, focus, and persistence until your child succeeds. When scoring worksheets, please take accuracy and time elapsed into account – both are equally important. You can use the same worksheet many times over.

We hope these worksheets help you in assessing your child’s proficiency and that you understand how to gradually improve proficiency. Please track your child’s progress using the graph below. Visualizing his or her progress may further motivate your child.