January 2026 Contest — Grade 3
The January 2026 North Star contest paper for Grade 3 has 12 questions and a 45-minute limit. Two sample questions with worked solutions are below, and you can take the whole paper online for free — no account, no sign-up.
- Grade
- Grade 3
- Questions
- 12
- Time limit
- 45 minutes
- Contest
- January 2026
- Subject
- Mathematics
- School year
- 2025-26
Before you start
- The timer starts when you press Start and runs for 45 minutes.
- Answer the 12 questions in any order; each is multiple choice.
- Your answers are marked as you go. Nothing is saved to an account, so finish in one sitting.
Sample questions
The first and last questions from this paper, with their worked solutions.
Question 1 — Number Sense & Operations
A number machine takes input and gives output based on the steps shown in the diagram. What is the output if we input 12 into this machine?
- A.31
- B.13
- C.62
- D.26
- E.24
Show the worked solution
Step 1 — Read the image:
The diagram shows a number machine that processes an input number through three steps to produce an output.
The first step is inside a shape labeled "Divide by 2".
The second step is inside a shape labeled "Add 7".
The third step is inside a shape labeled "Multiply by 2".
The final result is the "Output".
Step 2 — Solve:
We start with the input number, which is 12.
First, we divide 12 by 2:
12 ÷ 2 = 6
Next, we add 7 to this result:
6 + 7 = 13
Finally, we multiply this result by 2:
13 × 2 = 26
So, the output of the machine is 26.
Step 3 — Select:
Looking at the options, 26 corresponds to option D.
The answer is D
Question 12 — Logical Reasoning & Problem Solving
There are three piles of stones with 5,6 and 7 stones in each pile. Jay removes 1 stone from any 2 piles until there are not enough stones to remove from 2 piles. What are the minimum stones that remain when he stops removing the stones?
- A.0
- B.1
- C.2
- D.3
- E.There can be more than one answer
Show the worked solution
To find the minimum number of stones that can remain, we can try to remove as many stones as possible by pairing up the piles step-by-step.
We start with three piles of stones:
Pile 1: 5 stones
Pile 2: 6 stones
Pile 3: 7 stones
Let's write down the number of stones in each pile after each step where Jay removes 1 stone from 2 different piles:
1. Jay removes 1 stone from Pile 2 and Pile 3:
Pile 1: 5 stones
Pile 2: 5 stones
Pile 3: 6 stones
2. Jay removes 1 stone from Pile 2 and Pile 3:
Pile 1: 5 stones
Pile 2: 4 stones
Pile 3: 5 stones
3. Jay removes 1 stone from Pile 1 and Pile 3:
Pile 1: 4 stones
Pile 2: 4 stones
Pile 3: 4 stones
4. Jay removes 1 stone from Pile 1 and Pile 2:
Pile 1: 3 stones
Pile 2: 3 stones
Pile 3: 4 stones
5. Jay removes 1 stone from Pile 1 and Pile 3:
Pile 1: 2 stones
Pile 2: 3 stones
Pile 3: 3 stones
6. Jay removes 1 stone from Pile 2 and Pile 3:
Pile 1: 2 stones
Pile 2: 2 stones
Pile 3: 2 stones
7. Jay removes 1 stone from Pile 1 and Pile 2:
Pile 1: 1 stone
Pile 2: 1 stone
Pile 3: 2 stones
8. Jay removes 1 stone from Pile 1 and Pile 3:
Pile 1: 0 stones
Pile 2: 1 stone
Pile 3: 1 stone
9. Jay removes 1 stone from Pile 2 and Pile 3:
Pile 1: 0 stones
Pile 2: 0 stones
Pile 3: 0 stones
Now, all piles have 0 stones, so there are no stones left to remove. The minimum number of stones that remain when he stops is 0.
The answer is A
Take the whole paper
All 12 questions, 45 minutes, marked as you go. No account needed.