March 2026 Contest — Grade 5
The March 2026 North Star contest paper for Grade 5 has 12 questions and a 60-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 5
- Questions
- 12
- Time limit
- 60 minutes
- Contest
- March 2026
- Subject
- Mathematics
- School year
- 2025-26
Before you start
- The timer starts when you press Start and runs for 60 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
Asif calculated the product 1234 x 4321 as 5332114. What are the last two digits in the product 2468 x 4321
- A.14
- B.28
- C.42
- D.56
- E.There is not enough information
Show the worked solution
To find the last two digits of the product 2468 x 4321, we can look at the relationship between the numbers in this multiplication and the one given in the problem.
We are given:
1234 x 4321 = 5332114
Notice that the number 2468 is exactly double the number 1234:
1234 x 2 = 2468
This means that the product 2468 x 4321 is exactly double the product 1234 x 4321:
2468 x 4321 = (1234 x 2) x 4321 = 2 x (1234 x 4321)
Since we know that 1234 x 4321 = 5332114, we can find the new product by multiplying this result by 2:
5332114 x 2 = 10664228
Alternatively, to find just the last two digits, we can simply double the last two digits of the first product (14):
14 x 2 = 28
In both cases, the last two digits of the product are 28.
Therefore, the correct option is B.
Question 12 — Algebra & Expressions
John has a cube where every side has a secret number hidden behind a colored patch. There are six colors in total, and they come in opposite pairs:
- Yellow is on the opposite side of Green.
- Red is on the opposite side of Orange.
- Blue is on the opposite side of Purple.
To find the hidden values, John was given three clues:
- The numbers on Yellow + Blue + Red add up to 18.
- The numbers on Green + Orange + Purple add up to 36.
- The numbers on Yellow + Blue + Orange add up to 23.
Can you help John figure out what the numbers on Red + Purple + Green add up to?
- A.46
- B.31
- C.41
- D.54
- E.27
Show the worked solution
Step 1 — Read the image
The image shows a cube with three visible colored patches: a yellow patch on the top face, a red patch on the front face, and a blue patch on the right face.
The problem text states that there are six colors in total, which are on opposite sides of the cube:
Yellow is opposite Green.
Red is opposite Orange.
Blue is opposite Purple.
Step 2 — Solve
Let's represent the secret numbers on each colored patch by their initials:
Y for Yellow, G for Green
R for Red, O for Orange
B for Blue, P for Purple
We are given three clues:
1. Y + B + R = 18
2. G + O + P = 36
3. Y + B + O = 23
We want to find the sum of the numbers on Red, Purple, and Green:
Red + Purple + Green = R + P + G
First, let's find the total sum of all six numbers on the cube by adding the first two clues together:
Total Sum = (Y + B + R) + (G + O + P) = 18 + 36 = 54
Now, we can find the sum of R + P + G by subtracting the remaining three numbers (Y, B, and O) from the total sum:
R + P + G = Total Sum - (Y + B + O)
Using the third clue, we know that Y + B + O = 23. Substituting this into our equation:
R + P + G = 54 - 23 = 31
Step 3 — Select
The sum of the numbers on Red, Purple, and Green is 31, which corresponds to option B.
The answer is B
Take the whole paper
All 12 questions, 60 minutes, marked as you go. No account needed.