In the final year of elementary school, all Grade 6 students in Quebec are required to write a mathematics examination administered by the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec. The purpose of this compulsory exam is to assess their skills and knowledge in math.
The Grade 6 compulsory mathematics examination takes place in June and has three sections: the situational problem, situations involving applications, and the Question Booklet.
1. The situational problem
In the first section of the exam, students are asked to solve a situational problem related to mathematics. This requires using various comprehension strategies. Here’s an example of a situational problem:
Marie is a landscaper. Her team is building a swimming pool. They will install a single layer of cement blocks to construct the bottom (base) of the pool. The base of the pool will measure 50 metres by 25 metres. The edges of each block measure 25 centimetres. Marie’s team can install 150 blocks per day. They are given 30 days to complete the job. They will be charged a penalty fee of $275.49 for each day the work is delayed.
How many blocks will Marie’s team need to complete the base of the pool? Will they be able to finish the work on time? If not, how much will they be penalized?
Voici ce à quoi peut ressembler une situation-problème.
Marie est paysagiste. Son équipe doit installer les blocs de ciment qui serviront à fabriquer le fond d'une piscine. La base de la piscine, d'une épaisseur d'un seul bloc, doit mesurer 50 m de long sur 25 m de large. Les arêtes d’un bloc mesurent 50 cm chacune. L’équipe de Marie peut installer 150 blocs par jour. Elle a 30 jours pour effectuer le travail. Chaque jour de retard occasionnera des frais de 275,49 $.
Indique combien de blocs l’équipe de Marie aura besoin. L’équipe terminera-t-elle son travail à temps? Sinon, à combien s’élèvera la pénalité de retard?
To help your child review the concepts involved in solving situational problems (word problems), we encourage you to read our article How to Help Your Child Solve a Situational Problem in Mathematics.
2. Situations involving applications
The second section consists of three situations involving applications. The goal is for the student to demonstrate reasoning using mathematical concepts and processes. Here’s what a typical question might look like:
Two cyclists competing in the Tour de France need to ship 2 bikes in 2 large boxes. The cyclists put the 2 boxes side by side. The first box measures 4.6 m x 1.2 m x 60 dm. The second box measures 4.1 m x 140 cm x 50 dm. What combined volume of space do the boxes take up in the transport truck?
3. The Question Booklet
The third and final section consists of questions designed to test the student’s grasp of mathematical concepts and processes. Here’s a sample question:
If you toss a 6-sided die 2 times, what is the total number of possible outcomes?
- 12
- 24
- 36
- 6
Voici le genre de questions qui correspond à cette situation.
Pour le tour de France, des cyclistes veulent expédier 2 vélos dans 2 grosses boîtes. Les cyclistes placent les 2 boîtes l’une à côté de l’autre. La première boîte mesure 4,6 m X 1,2 m X 60 dm. La seconde boîte, quant à elle, mesure 4,1 m X 140 cm X 50 dm. Quel volume les boîtes occuperont-elles en tout dans le camion de transport?
3. Le questionnaire
La troisième partie, quant à elle, comporte 19 questions dont le but est de vérifier la maîtrise de concepts et de processus mathématiques.
Par exemple :
Combien de résultats peut-on obtenir en lançant 2 fois un dé à 6 faces?
a) 12
b) 24
c) 36
d) 6
The Grade 6 mathematics examination evaluates two competencies:
- To solve a situational problem related to mathematics
- To reason using mathematical concepts and processes
This year, the ministry exam is worth 20% of the evaluated competency.
During the mathematics examination, your child will be allowed to use the following materials:
- Memory aid (during the situational problem only)
- Calculator (during the situational problem only)
- Ruler
- Protractor
- Graph paper
Your child will NOT be allowed to use the following materials:
- Smartphone
- Smartwatch
- Portable media player
- Any other electronic device
- Calculator with computational software
- Calculator with an alphanumeric keyboard
- Computer
- Electronic tablet
For even more information about how you can help your child with exam preparation, visit our topic page on the matter.
To write the ministry math exam, your child must be able to recognize and apply the different concepts they learned in class. These may include the following:
- Natural numbers and decimals
- Fractions
- Plane and solid figures
- The Cartesian plane and its four quadrants
- Units of length, area, and volume
- Diagrams, tables, and the arithmetic mean
- Random experiments and probability
- Etc.
To help your child prepare for the exam and ensure they have a good grasp of the various concepts learned in class, you can encourage them to consult the following resources:
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Game | The game Speedy Rabbit allows children to practice solving math operations. |
| Study Guide | This review guide provides a list of all the content covered in the Grade 6 French course. From this page, you can access a wide range of study guides to help your child review. |
| Videos | Watching short videos that break down key topics is an engaging way to review the essentials. |
| Exercises | Encourage your child to try Alloprof’s practice questions. These short exercises are a great way to get ready for their next test. |
For more information about the exam, please visit the government's website.