May 2026 Contest — Grade 8
The May 2026 North Star contest paper for Grade 8 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 8
- Questions
- 12
- Time limit
- 60 minutes
- Contest
- May 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 — Advanced Mathematics
Six friends in a group chat each sent one digital sticker to every other person in the group. After this, everyone deleted the stickers they had just received to clear up space. If only one-third of the total stickers in the chat history remained after this cleanup, how many stickers were in the chat originally?
- A.45
- B.60
- C.75
- D.90
- E.None of these
Show the worked solution
To solve this problem, let's break down the events step-by-step:
1. Calculate the number of stickers sent and received:
There are 6 friends in the group chat. Each friend sends 1 digital sticker to every other person in the group. Since there are 5 other people for each friend to send a sticker to, the number of stickers sent is:
Stickers sent = 6 x 5 = 30 stickers
Since each sticker sent is received by one person, a total of 30 stickers were received in the chat.
2. Calculate the number of stickers deleted:
Everyone deleted the stickers they had just received. Since 30 stickers were received in total, exactly 30 stickers were deleted during this cleanup.
3. Set up the equation for the total stickers:
Let T be the total number of stickers in the chat history originally (before the cleanup).
After the cleanup, 30 stickers were deleted, leaving T - 30 stickers in the chat.
We are told that only one-third of the original total stickers remained after the cleanup:
T - 30 = 1/3T
4. Solve for T:
Multiply the entire equation by 3 to clear the fraction:
3(T - 30) = T
3T - 90 = T
2T = 90
T = 45
Thus, there were originally 45 stickers in the chat history before the cleanup.
Question 12 — Advanced Mathematics
Four lemonade stands are selling cups of lemonade:
Stand P charges 20% more than Stand Q
Stand Q charges 25% less than Stand R
Stand S charges 50% more than Stand R
What is the relationship between the prices at Stand S and Stand Q?
- A.Stand S is twice of Stand Q
- B.Stand P is 25% higher than Stand S
- C.Stands S and P charge exactly the same
- D.Stand S is 40% higher than Stand P
- E.Stand P is 20% higher than Stand S
Show the worked solution
To find the relationship between the prices at the different lemonade stands, let's represent the price at Stand R as a variable, say x.
1. Stand R: Let the price be x.
2. Stand Q: Charges 25% less than Stand R.
Price at Q = x - 0.25x = 0.75x
3. Stand P: Charges 20% more than Stand Q.
Price at P = 0.75x + 0.20 x 0.75x = 0.75x + 0.15x = 0.90x
4. Stand S: Charges 50% more than Stand R.
Price at S = x + 0.50x = 1.50x
Now, let's compare the prices of Stand S and Stand Q:
Price at Stand S is 1.50x.
Price at Stand Q is 0.75x.
Since 1.50x = 2 x 0.75x, the price at Stand S is exactly twice the price at Stand Q.
This matches option A.
The answer is A
Take the whole paper
All 12 questions, 60 minutes, marked as you go. No account needed.