March 2026 Contest — Grade 6
The March 2026 North Star contest paper for Grade 6 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 6
- 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 this multiplication and the one Asif already calculated.
We are given:
1234 x 4321 = 5332114
We want to find the product:
2468 x 4321
Notice that the number 2468 is exactly twice the number 1234:
1234 x 2 = 2468
Therefore, the product 2468 x 4321 is exactly twice the product 1234 x 4321:
2468 x 4321 = (2 x 1234) x 4321 = 2 x (1234 x 4321)
Using the result of Asif's calculation:
2 x 5332114 = 10664228
Looking at the final product, 10664228, the last two digits are 28.
Thus, 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
To find the sum of the numbers on Red, Purple, and Green, we can use the clues provided:
1. Identify the visual facts and given information:
The cube has 6 faces with 6 colors: Yellow, Green, Red, Orange, Blue, and Purple.
Clue 1: Yellow + Blue + Red = 18
Clue 2: Green + Orange + Purple = 36
Clue 3: Yellow + Blue + Orange = 23
2. Find the total sum of all six faces:
Since the six faces are Yellow, Blue, Red, Green, Orange, and Purple, we can add the first two clues together to get the total sum of all six faces:
Total Sum = (Yellow + Blue + Red) + (Green + Orange + Purple)
Total Sum = 18 + 36 = 54
3. Find the sum of Red + Purple + Green:
We know that the sum of all six faces is 54:
(Yellow + Blue + Orange) + (Red + Purple + Green) = 54
We are given in Clue 3 that Yellow + Blue + Orange = 23. Substituting this into our equation:
23 + (Red + Purple + Green) = 54
Red + Purple + Green = 54 - 23 = 31
Therefore, the numbers on Red + Purple + Green add up to 31.
The answer is B
Take the whole paper
All 12 questions, 60 minutes, marked as you go. No account needed.