Placement guide, math
Which level of Primary Mathematics should my child start?
How Primary Mathematics levels line up with school grades, how its placement test works, what to do if your child lands between two levels, and the mistakes parents most often make.
The short answer. Each grade is split into an A book (first half of the year) and a B book (second half), and the two editions use the same test labels for different things. In the 2022 Edition the test called 3A checks whether a child is ready to start 3A, so it holds grade 2 material. In the U.S. and Standards Editions the test called 3A checks whether the child has mastered 3A. Using the wrong edition's test shifts the start by half a year.
Use the publisher's own placement tool to choose the level (free, PDF). If you are not sure where your child really is, or the result surprises you, check the level first: it is quicker than a wrong book.
Primary Mathematics levels and the grades they usually suit
| Level | Usually suits grade | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Mathematics 2022 Grade 2 (2A and 2B) | 2 | Adjacent lower level. Place value to 1,000 and addition and subtraction. The 2022 3A placement test checks this material. |
| Primary Mathematics 2022 Grade 3 (3A and 3B) | 3 | Numbers to 10,000, addition and subtraction within 10,000, multiplication and division facts including 6, 7, 8 and 9, area and perimeter, fractions, measurement and liquid volume, shapes |
| Primary Mathematics 2022 Grade 4 (4A and 4B) | 4 | Multi-digit whole numbers, the four operations with bar models, fractions and mixed numbers, decimals, area and perimeter, geometry, measurement and time |
| Primary Mathematics 2022 Grade 5 (5A and 5B) | 5 | Operations with whole numbers, fractions and decimals, word problems with all four operations, volume, 2-D shapes, line plots and the coordinate plane, number patterns |
| Primary Mathematics 2022 Grade 6 (6A and 6B) | 6 | Exponents and prime factorization, rational numbers, ratio, rates and speed, percent, algebraic expressions, equations and inequalities, area, volume and surface area, statistics |
| Dimensions Math 7 and 8 (same publisher) | 7-8 | Adjacent upper level. The publisher describes grades 7 and 8 together as a Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 sequence with extra geometry. Students can move from Primary Mathematics 2022 Grade 5 into Grade 6 of the publisher's other series. |
Grades are the publisher's own guide. Many children sit a level above or below, especially after switching programs.
How Primary Mathematics placement works
- Download the test for the edition you will use.
- 2022 Edition tests run from 1A to 5B and are readiness tests: each one checks whether the child can begin that half-year book.
- U.S.
- and Standards Edition tests run from 1A to 6B and are mastery tests: each one checks whether the child has mastered that book.
- Do not time the tests and allow at least an hour each.
- The publisher says not to score them.
- Watch how the child solves problems, which mistakes they make and which concepts they struggle with.
- For a 2022 readiness test, a child who is ready for 2B moves on to try the 3A test, and a child who is not ready for 2B starts in 2A.
Open the publisher's placement page
If your child lands between two levels
If there are only a few gaps, the publisher suggests teaching those topics directly using material from the earlier level. If there are many, go back a level. Check the Scope and Sequence, because some topics come back in later books. The tests sample representative skills, not every topic in a level.
Problems parents often run into
- Parents report that children switching in from other programs often place half a year to a full year below their grade, and several advise not to be afraid to start back.
- Parents report that the Home Instructor's Guide is needed, because the textbook alone does not give a parent enough teaching direction.
- Parents report that word problems are demanding and that many children need extra math-fact practice alongside the books.
- Parents mix up the A and B halves with grades, or give a U.S. Edition mastery test when they plan to use the 2022 Edition.
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See where they stand →Switching to Primary Mathematics from another program
- The publisher recommends the 2022 Edition for children coming to Singapore math in grades 4 or 5, because it covers the topics a U.S. school would have taught earlier.
- Students can switch into the 2022 Edition from the publisher's other series with some repetition. Switching from the 2022 Edition to the next level of another series is not recommended for grades 1 to 5 because of larger gaps.
- After 2022 Grade 5, students can move into Grade 6 of any of the publisher's series. The publisher notes that the U.S. Edition and international edition Grade 6 cover fewer algebra topics.
- The publisher says Singapore math is likely not a good fit for students in grade 4 or above who are already struggling with math, and that the 2022 Edition is its most manageable series for students who struggle.
- There are no placement tests for Dimensions Math 6 to 8. The publisher says a child who finished any grade 5 program starts Dimensions Math 6, and a child with gaps after a Pre-Algebra course starts Dimensions Math 7.
When you don't need a whole level
A placement test answers one question: which book. If your child is mostly on track but shaky in one area, say fractions or paragraph writing, a full lower level means months of review they do not need. Practising just the gaps is faster, and keeps them in the book that fits the rest of their skills.
Questions parents ask
Is it bad if my child places below their grade?
No. Programs pace topics differently, so a lower level often reflects the order things were taught, not how able a child is. What matters is starting where the work makes sense.
Do I need a placement test at all?
If you are switching programs or your child has had a hard year, yes. Starting too high is the most common reason a new curriculum stalls in the first month.
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Sources
- singaporemath.com/pages/placement-tests
- singaporemath.com/pages/program-comparison
- singaporemath.com/pages/faq
- singaporemath.com/pages/school-faq
- singaporemath.com/pages/scopes-sequences
- singapore-math.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/scopes/PM22_Scope_Overviews.
Know where they stand before you buy the book.
About forty minutes at home, math and reading & writing, grades 3 to 10. The report is ready as soon as the test finishes.
Test your child, $9.99 →or with the ten-week workbook, $19.99This page is Point of Progress's own research, compiled in November 2026 from publishers' websites, placement materials and parent reviews. Publishers update their products, levels, placement tests and prices from time to time, so please verify all information with the provider before you buy. Point of Progress is independent and is not affiliated with any publisher named here.