About the Author

Jimmy Ling graduated from NUS with a degree in Applied Mathematics and has been teaching
Mathematics after graduation.
He is the co-founder and director of Grade Solution Learning Centre, a leading tuition centre in
Singapore with more than 1000+ students enrolled monthly.
He is also the founder and director of Jimmy Maths, which has more than 10,000 students
learning Math online through our online courses.
He is the author of the following books:
- Your Complete Guide to Math Concepts
- 80 Useful Tricks to Solve Math Problems Easily
- PSLE Maths Specimen Papers (You can buy this in Popular bookstores)
- Math Revision Notes for Secondary Students
- Real-World Applications of Math Concepts
He was featured on Love 972 and Straits Times to give tips in doing well for Math.
His YouTube channel which shares Math videos regularly has more than 4k subscribers. You
can watch his videos here >>
[Link]
You can check out his testimonials and reviews here >> Testimonials

2|Page
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Foreword

Dear Parents,
Does your child always struggle with problem sums?
Is your child always leaving them blank, not knowing how to start solving them?
Or does he have problems expressing the problem in the right mathematical statements?
Many parents thought that their child may have problems understanding the question.
However, the underlying problem is deeper than that.
If you think about it, the language used in Primary School Math are not that tough.
We don’t see bombastic words or fancy phrases.
Instead, we see straightforward statements like
“John has 20 more apples than Mary,”
1
“He gave of his apples to Mary,”
3
“They had equal number of fruits in the end” etc…
If your child read the question slowly and carefully, he will probably knows what the question
mean.
But…
The Trick Lies in Expressing These Simple Word Statements into
the Right Mathematical Statement or Models

If your child have problems expressing them in the right mathematical statements or models…
He will get lost on how to start solving the question.
He will now know which method to apply to solve the problem.
He may even started off wrongly and end up wasting precious time in the exams….

Well, I got good news for you.

In this book, we have compiled 80 useful tricks on how to express problem sums in the right
mathematical statements or models easily.

3|Page
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
By spotting the right keywords, your child will know exactly how to express them properly,
and link to the right concept.
This will enable your child to kick-start his thinking in the right direction.
Your child can keep this book as a useful companion when solving Math problems.
You will be surprised at how useful these tricks are.
If you have any feedback about this book, feel free to email us.
We look forward to hearing how useful these tricks are in helping your child to solve Math
problems.

Have fun learning!

To Better Results,
Jimmy Ling

We Love Math!

4|Page
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 How Your Child Can Improve in Math

Many parents have approached me to coach their child.

If your child needs help too, feel free to enrol in my online courses or any of our tuition classes.
(Sorry, I don’t do one-to-one tuition)

Here are a few things to note:

- We don’t let your child practice any questions first before understanding the concept. We
simplify concepts in ways which your child can understand first.

- We don’t do drilling of problem sums. Instead, we classify questions carefully to their

heuristic or concepts, and let your child master each of them. We will also do revision
constantly to revise the concepts again.

- We don’t teach students to stick to one method of solving problem sums. We will teach a
variety of methods so that your child has more tools to use during exams.

Here are 2 ways which you can seek help from us…

5|Page
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Does your child need help in his or her studies?

1) Live Online Lessons at Grade Solution Learning Centre

At Grade Solution Learning Centre, we are a team of dedicated educators whose mission is to
guide your child to academic success. Here are the services we provide:

- Live Online Lessons

- Adaptably™, a smart learning platform that tracks your child’s progress, strengths and
weaknesses through personalised digital worksheets.
- 24/7 Homework Helper Service
- Unlimited Marking with detailed feedback

We provide all these services above at a very affordable monthly fee to allow as many students
as possible to access such learning opportunities.

We specialise in English, Math, Science, and Chinese subjects.

You can see our fees and schedules here >> [Link]

6|Page
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
2) Pre-recorded Online courses on [Link]

If you are looking for something that fits your budget, or prefer your child learn at his or her
own pace, you can join our pre-recorded online Math courses.
Your child can:
- Learn from recorded videos
- Get access to lots of common exam questions to ensure sufficient practice
- Get unlimited support and homework help
You can see the available courses here >>
[Link]

7|Page
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Number
1. X more than Y is Z.
X+Y=Z
Eg. 23 more than 5 is __28__.

2. X is Y more than Z.
X=Y+Z
Eg. __28__ is 5 more than 23.

3. X less than Y is Z.
Y–X=Z
Eg. 23 less than 28 is __5__.

4. X is Y less than Z
X=Z–Y
Eg. __23__ is 5 less than 28.

5. Multiplication and division before addition and subtraction

Eg. 2+3×5=5×5
= 25 (Wrong!)
2 + 3 × 5 = 2 + 15 (Always underline the part which you want to do first)
= 17 (Correct!)

6. Work out sums in brackets before multiplication and division.

Eg. 2 × (3 + 5) = 2 × 8
= 16

8|Page
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
7. Remember BODMAS rule
B for Bracket
O for Order (or Power Of)
D for Division
M for Multiplication
A for Addition
S for Subtraction

8. Identify Place: Think of Words

Eg. 143.67
Place of ‘1’: hundreds
Place of ‘6’: tenths

9. Identify Value: Think of Number

Eg. 143.67
Value of ‘4’: 40
Value of ‘7’: 0.07

10. To multiply by 10, 100, 1000  simply add zeros to the back.
Eg. 52 × 10 = 520
170 × 100 = 17 000

11. To divide by 10, 100, 1000  simply remove zeros from the back.
Eg. 500 ÷ 10 = 50
73000 ÷ 1000 = 73

9|Page
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
12. To multiply by a multiple of 10, 100 or 1000, split the numbers up.
Eg. 7 × 300 = 7 × 3 × 100 = 21 × 100 = 2100

13. To divide by a multiple of 10, 100, 1000, split the numbers up.
Eg. 4800 ÷ 40 = 4800 ÷ 4 ÷ 10 = 1200 ÷ 10 = 120

14. To cut a Model into 5 parts, you need 4 cuts

Number of Cuts = Number of Parts – 1

15. There are 4 gaps between 5 trees.

Number of Gaps = Number of Trees – 1

Gap Gap Gap Gap

10 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Fraction
16. Fraction multiply by number  express the number as a fraction
3 3 2
Eg.  2   (Multiply Numerator with Numerator)
5 5 1
6

5
1
1 (Always leave your answer in mixed number)
5

17. Fraction ÷ by number  multiply by 1 ÷ number

1
4 4 1
Eg. 8   (Cancel Numerator with Denominator)
5 5 82

1

10

18. Fraction multiply by fraction

1
2 3 3
Eg.   (Cancel Numerator with Denominator)
5 84 20

19. Fraction divide by fraction  Flip the 2nd Fraction

1 2 1 5
Eg.   
3 5 3 2
5

6
1
20. How many sixths are there in a fraction? (sixth = )
6
Change denominator to match question.
2 4
  4 sixths
3 6

11 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
21. To compare fractions with same denominator,

“Bigger numerator  Bigger fraction”

1 2 4
Ascending order: , ,
7 7 7

22. To compare fractions with same numerator,

“Bigger denominator  Smaller fraction”

1 1 1
Descending order: , ,
5 8 9

23. When you see “Fraction of”, it means “Fraction Times”

1
Eg. Find of 81
3
1
 81  27
3

2
24. When you see, “A has as many as B,” point the arrows correctly.
5

A: 2 units
B: 5 units

1
25. A has more than B
3

A: 3 + 1 = 4 units
B: 3 units

12 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 2
26. A has less than B
7

A: 7 – 2 = 5 units
B: 7 units

1
27. A is 20 more than of B
2

A: 1 unit + 20
B: 2 units

1
28. A is 10 less than of B
3
A: 1 unit – 10
B: 3 units

2
29. John spent / lost of his money
3
Original: 3 units
Spend / lose: 2 units
Left: 1 unit

2
30. John received / added of his money
5
Original: 5 units
Receive / add: 2 units
New: 7 units

13 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 2 1
31. When the question says, “ of A is equal to of B,” to find the ratio of A : B…
3 5
2 2
1st Step: A  B (Make Numerator Equal)
3 10
2nd Step: Compare their denominator
A: 3 units
B: 10 units

1 1
32. When the question says, “ of A is equal to 3 times of of B”, to find the ratio of
3 5
A : B….
1 1
1st Step: A B
3 5
3 1
2nd Step: A B (Make numerator of A three times of B)
9 5
3rd Step: Compare their denominator
A: 9 units
B: 5 units

1 3
33. When the question says, “After using of A and of B, leftover of A is equal to
4 4
leftover of B”, to find the ratio at first…
3 1
1st Step: A B (Find the leftover for A and B)
4 4
3 3
2nd Step: A B (Make the numerators equal)
4 12
3rd Step:
(Original) A: 4 units B: 12 units
(Used) A: 1 unit B: 9 units
(Left) A: 3 units B: 3 units

14 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
34. Be careful when the question says, “Fraction of Total”…
1 1
Eg. John spend of his money on Item A and of his money on Item B.
3 2
1 1 5
  (Fraction of money spent)
3 2 6
5 1
1   (Fraction of money left)
6 6

35. Be even more careful when the question says, “Fraction of Remainder”…

When you see the word “Remainder”, you can use “Branching”.

1 1
Eg. John spend of his money on Item A and of the remainder on Item B. If Item
3 2
B is $30, find the total.
Note: fractions on the same branch should add up to 1
Item B = $30
(Item A)
$30 × 2 = $60 (Remainder)
(Item B)
Item A = $60 ÷ 2 = $30 Total
Total = $30 × 3 = $90
(Remainder)

(Left)

15 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 2
36. When the question says, “John spent $5 more than of his money,” you can draw the
5
branching like this:

(Spend)
Note: Fractions should add up to 1
Total Signs should be opposite
Numbers should be the same
(Remainder)

1
37. When the question says, “John spent $8 less than of his money,” you can draw the
4
branching like this:

(Spend)
Note: Fractions should add up to 1
Total Signs should be opposite
Numbers should be the same
(Remainder)

38. Be careful of what the question is asking for.

Is the question asking for “Fraction of Total” or “Fraction of Remainder”?

1
Eg. of a pizza is eaten and the remainder is cut into 10 pieces, what fraction of the
6
pizza is one piece?
1 5
Left  1  
6 6
5 5 1
1 piece   10  
6 6 10
1

12

16 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Ratio
1
39. When the question says, “ are girls, and the rest are boys,” express the ratio like this:
3
G : B : Total
1 : 2 : 3

40. There are twice as many girls as boys.

G : B : Total
2 : 1 : 3

41. 30% are women, and the rest are men.

W : M : Total
30 : 70 : 100
3 : 7 : 10

42. When only 1 part changed, apply the Constant Part Concept.

Eg. Original ratio of A : B is 4 : 3. A loses 7. End ratio of A : B becomes 1 : 1.

Make B the same. A : B

4 : 3
1 unit = 7
7

1 : 1
3 : 3

43. When there is internal transfer, apply the Constant Total Concept.

Eg. Original ratio of A : B is 2 : 1. A gives B A : B : Total

2 : 1 : 3
30. End ratio of A : B becomes 1 : 1.
4 : 2 : 6

30 30
Make the total the same.
1 unit = 30 1 : 1 : 2
3 : 3 : 6

17 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
44. When you see questions involving age, the age difference remains the same.

Eg. Original ratio of age of A : B is 3 : 2. 15 years ago, ratio of age of A : B becomes 5 :

3.

Make the difference the same. A : B : Difference

3 : 2 : 1
6 : 4 : 2

1 unit = 15 years 15 15

5 : 3 : 2

45. When both sides of the ratio increase/decrease by the same amount, the difference
remains unchanged.

Eg. Original ratio of A : B is 7 : 3. After both spend $300, ratio of age of A : B becomes
3 : 1.

Make the difference the same. A : B : Difference

7 : 3 : 4
1 unit = $300
300 300

3 : 1 : 2
6 : 2 : 4

46. When everything changed, use units and parts.

Eg. Original ratio of A : B is 2 : 1. A received 50, B received 40. Ratio becomes 3 : 2.

A: 2u + 50 = 3p A : B :
2 : 1 : units
B: 1u + 40 = 2p
2u + 80 = 4p 50 40

3p – 50 = 4p – 80 3 : 2 : parts
1p = 80 – 50
= 30

18 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Percentage
20
47. 20% of A = A
100
20
Eg. 20% of 5 = 5 1
100

48. When you see “A has 10% as much as B,”

write the ratio like this:
A : B
10 : 100
1 : 10

49. A has 30% more than B

A : B
130 : 100
13 : 10

50. A has 20% less than B

A : B
80 : 100
4 : 5

51. When there is a 20% discount, you only need to pay 80% of the price.
Original: 100%
Discount: 20%
Pay: 80%
Eg. $250 with discount 20%
80
After discount, paid =  250  200
100

19 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
52. When you see “5% interest per year”, the money will
increase by 5% every year.
Original: 100%
Interest per year: 5%
Number of years = 2
Eg. Borrow $500 for 2 years at 5% interest per year
110
× $500 = $550
100

53. When you see “GST 9%”, you need to pay 109% of the price.
Original: 100%
GST: 9%
Total: 109%
Eg. $1500 before 9% GST,
109
Total with GST =  $1500  $1635
100

54. Always let the original number be 100%.

Eg. After an increase of 20%, a number becomes 600. Find the original number.
120%  600
1%  5
100%  500

20 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
55. To find percentage increase or decrease, here is how you do it.

New  Original
Percentage change = 100%
Original
Eg. Original: 50
New Number: 70
70  50
Percentage change = 100%
50
= 40%

56. To convert percentage to decimal, write it as a fraction over 100.

80
Eg. 80% =  0.8
100
57. To convert decimal to percentage, write it as a fraction over 100 or move the decimal
place to the right twice.
75
Eg. 0.75 =  75%
100

58. Remember this!

1 = 100%
1 50
  50%
2 100
1 25
  25%
4 100
1 20
  20%
5 100
1 125
  12.5%
8 1000

21 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Measurement
59. To find the perimeter of such figures, push out the parts to form a rectangle.
14 cm
Eg. Perimeter
= 2 × 14 cm + 2 × 10 cm
= 48 cm
10 cm

60. To find area of such figures, you can cut and paste various parts.
Eg. One square has a length 5 cm.
Area = 8 × 5 cm × 5 cm = 200 cm2

1
61. For triangles, area =  base  height . To identify base and height, they must be
2
perpendicular to each other.
Eg. Find the area of the given triangle. 13 cm
1 5 cm
Area = 12cm  5cm  30 cm2
2

12 cm

22 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
62. Remember this:

“Fraction of container filled = Fraction of height of water level”

Eg. For a container that has a

2
height of 50 cm, if it is
5
filled, the height of the water
2
level is  50cm  20 cm.
5

63. When you see “Pour water from container A to container B until their water level are
the same,” remember this:

“Height of Water Level = Total Volume ÷ Combined Base Area”

Eg. Total volume of water in container A: 20 ℓ

Base area of container A: 400 cm2
Base area of container B: 600 cm2
Pour water from A to B such that the height of the water level are the same
Height = 20000 cm3 ÷ (400 cm2 + 600 cm2) = 20 cm

Container A Container B

23 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Geometry

64. For folded angles, identify which angle is folded and repeated.
Eg. To find angle y, 180° – 120° = 60°
60° ÷ 2 = 30°
120°
y

N
65. Counter clockwise VS clockwise turning

W E

S
To turn clockwise 270° is the same as to turn counter clockwise 90°.

N
66. 1 right angle turn = 90° Start

1
right angle turn = 45°
2
Eg. 225° = 180° + 45° W E

225° clockwise turn

24 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Rate

67. When one increases, the other increases as well.

Eg. 6 girls can bake 20 cookies.
12 girls can bake 20 × 2 = 40 cookies

68. When one increases, the other decreases.

Eg. 5 men can build a house in 30 days.
10 men can build the same house in 30 ÷ 2 = 15 days.
69. Rate and Time are reciprocal (inverse) of each other.
5 6
If rate = tank/min, time taken to fill the tank =
6 5
= 1.2 min

70. When you see questions involving “Alan completes a job in 5 days…”

Find his rate in one day.

Eg. 5 days  1 job
1
1 day  job
5

71. When you see questions involving “how long will they take to complete the job when
they work together?”

Find the individual rate first.

Add up their rates.
Reverse to find the time.
1
Eg. Alan  job/day
2
1
Bob  job/day
3
1 1 5
Alan + Bob    job/day
2 3 6
6
Time taken   1.2 days
5

25 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
72. When you see questions involving “how long will Alan take to complete the job when
he work alone?”

Find the combined rate first.

Subtract to find their individual rates.
Reverse to find the time.
5
Eg. Alan + Bob  job/day
6
1
Bob  job/day
3
5 1 1
Alan    job/day
6 3 2
2
Time taken   2 days
1

73. When you see questions involving “A tap filling up a tank and a hole leaking water
from the tank”,

You use the rate of the tap minus the rate of the water leak from the hole.

Eg. Tap  2 litres/min

Hole  0.2 litres/min
Combined Rate  2 – 0.2 = 1.8 litres/min

26 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Algebra
74. When including units for algebra, use brackets to show that units apply to both the
algebra and the number.
Eg. (3x  7) cm

75. When it comes to Subtraction, the order matters!

Eg. Subtract 2 from a
Ans: 2 – a (Wrong!)
Ans: a – 2 (Correct!)

76. For multiplication, write the number in front of the algebra.

Eg. 4 multiply by k  4k

77. For division, write it as a fraction.

4m
Eg. Divide 4m by 7 
7

78. Follow the BODMAS rule when it comes to algebra as well (brackets before
multiplication and division before addition and subtraction)
Eg. 4  3a  (12  5a) when a = 2

 4  (3  2)  (12  5  2)
 4  6  (12  10)
 24  22
2

27 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Statistics
79. When reading axis on graphs, count the number of gaps to decide how much is one
small gap.

100 5 gaps = 50
1 gap = 10
50
3 gaps = 30

80. Total = Average × Number of Items

Eg. Average of 3 numbers is 20. If the first two are 15 and 25, find the third number.
Total of 3 numbers = 20 × 3 = 60
60 – 15 – 25 = 20

28 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 How We Teach Math at Jimmy Maths & Grade Solution
KCA Math Teaching Methodology: A Comprehensive Approach to Mastering Math
Problems

At our core, we believe in empowering your child to not only understand math concepts but
also to apply them confidently and efficiently.

Our KCA (Keywords, Concepts, Applications) methodology is designed to guide your child
through each step of the problem-solving process, ensuring mastery of the subject.

1. Keywords
The first step in solving any math problem is identifying and understanding the
keywords.
We teach your child how to spot these critical terms and, more importantly, how to
translate them into correct mathematical operations.
Many students grasp the meaning behind the words but struggle to convert that
understanding into proper math workings.
For example, when a problem states, "A has 20% more than B," "A has 1/5 as many
as B," or "A has ⅓ of B," we guide your child on how to accurately express these
relationships in mathematical terms.

2. Concepts
Once the keywords are identified, the next step is linking them to the correct
mathematical concept. A concept is the foundational idea or strategy needed to solve
the problem. To ensure your child masters these concepts, we provide a step-by-step
framework for each one. This structured approach helps your child to build a deep
understanding and confidence in applying these concepts to various problems.

Additionally, we utilize our Concept Mastery Method, where practice questions are
grouped by concept, allowing your child to focus on and master one idea at a time.

Below are some examples of how we train students to link to the right concept:

29 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
3. Applications
Understanding the concept is crucial, but applying it efficiently is where true mastery lies. In
this phase, we teach your child the most effective methods to solve different types of
problems. While there may be multiple ways to arrive at a solution, some methods are more
efficient than others.

For instance, using an assumption might be quicker than guess and check, or algebra could
be more efficient than model drawing in certain scenarios. By learning the most efficient
strategies, your child can tackle problems more quickly and accurately.

When it comes to formulas and methods, we do not just teach students to memorise them.
Instead, we use stories, diagrams, and videos to ensure students have a full understanding
of how they work.

To reinforce these skills, we use a Confidence-Building Approach in our worksheets. This

approach arranges questions in increasing order of difficulty, allowing your child to build
confidence with easier questions before progressing to more challenging ones.

Initially, we guide your child through the first few steps of solving a problem, providing clear
explanations and support. This helps them understand the process and feel secure in their
abilities.

As your child becomes more comfortable, we gradually reduce the level of guidance, allowing
them to take on more responsibility for solving the problems on their own. This step-by-step
reduction in assistance is carefully calibrated to ensure that your child remains confident while
developing the skills needed to tackle challenges independently.

To make students aware of the common mistakes, we use an Inversion Approach which we
show the incorrect solutions in class and get students to spot the errors.

Lastly, we believe that learning should be engaging and fun. That’s why we incorporate a
Gamified-Learning Approach which we use interactive games in class to test and reinforce
your child’s understanding of the concepts. These games not only make learning enjoyable
but also provide a dynamic way to assess and strengthen your child’s grasp of the material.

30 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
Check Out Some of Our Success Stories Below!

31 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
 Does your child need help in his or her studies?

1) Live Online Lessons at Grade Solution Learning Centre

At Grade Solution Learning Centre, we are a team of dedicated educators whose mission is to
guide your child to academic success. Here are the services we provide:

- Live Online Lessons

- Adaptably™, a smart learning platform that tracks your child’s progress, strengths and
weaknesses through personalised digital worksheets.
- 24/7 Homework Helper Service
- Unlimited Marking with detailed feedback

We provide all these services above at a very affordable monthly fee to allow as many students
as possible to access such learning opportunities.
We specialise in English, Math, Science, and Chinese subjects.
You can see our fees and schedules here >> [Link]

32 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd
2) Pre-recorded Online courses on [Link]

If you are looking for something that fits your budget, or prefer your child learn at his or her
own pace, you can join our pre-recorded online Math courses.
Your child can:
- Learn from recorded videos
- Get access to lots of common exam questions to ensure sufficient practice
- Get unlimited support and homework help
You can see the available courses here >>
[Link]

33 | P a g e
© Jimmy Maths Pte Ltd