FREE 3rd Grade PSSA Math Practice Test

FREE 3rd Grade PSSA Math Practice Test

TL;DR: Pennsylvania’s spring state test is no small thing for a 3rd grader. Give yours a calmer preview with this free PSSA-aligned practice test: 20 questions across the same grade 3 math content the state covers. Have your child work it untimed, then sit together for the review. By the end of one quiet afternoon, you’ll both know which topics still need attention before the real test arrives.

Key takeaways:

  • Aligned with Pennsylvania Core Standards (PA Core) for grade 3 math.
  • Covers multiplication, division, fractions, area, perimeter, and basic geometry.
  • Grade 3 PSSA math is calculator-free.
  • Test is given in three sessions across two days in the spring.
  • Scored on 4 levels: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, Advanced.

For this practice test, we’ve selected 20 real questions from past exams for your students’ PSSA Practice test. Your student will have the chance to try out the most common PSSA Math questions. For every question, there is an in-depth explanation of how to solve the question and how to avoid mistakes next time.

Use our free PSSA Math practice tests and study resources (updated for 2026) to help your students ace the PSSA Math test! Make sure to follow some of the related links at the bottom of this post to get a better idea of what kind of mathematics questions students need to practice.

The Absolute Best Book to Ace the 3rd Grade PSSA Math Test

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Getting ready for PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) math in grade 3? The 20 questions below are written for 3rd graders and cover multiplication and division, fractions, area and perimeter, and word problems. Each question has a worked solution, and the numbers differ from the other grade 3 sets on this site, so you can practice with fresh problems.

These are original practice questions aligned to grade 3 math skills, not official released test items. Use them to find the topics you need to review before test day.

20 practice questions for 3rd Grade PSSA Math

Answer one question at a time. Press Submit to see right away whether you were correct, along with the worked solution. Your score appears after the last question, with a list of the ones to review.

Question 1 of 20
1. What is 1820 rounded to the nearest 10?

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2. A school store sells beads in bags of 12. How many beads are in 6 bags?

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3. There are 72 cards. They are shared equally among 6 children. How many cards does each child get?

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4. What is 682 − 375?

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5. Kayla has 109 red cards and 88 white cards. How many more red cards than white cards does Kayla have?

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6. Which fraction is equivalent to \(\frac{2}{3}\)?

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7. There are 16 stamps in a box. \(\frac{1}{8}\) of them are broken. How many are broken?

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8. Maya buys 4 erasers for $3.75 each and pays with a $20 bill. How much change should she get?

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9. A movie starts at 10:30 and lasts 4 hours and 20 minutes. At what time does it end? (Ignore a.m. and p.m.)

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10. There are two different cards on the table.
3 rows have 13 red cards in each row.
There are 24 white cards.
How many cards are there on the table?

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11. A class voted for a favorite fruit: plums (18), bananas (11), grapes (12). How many more students chose plums than bananas?

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12. What is 2617 rounded to the nearest 10?

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13. What is the next number in the pattern? 2, 10, 18, 26, 34, …

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14. Mason is 18 months old now, and he usually eats six meals a day. How many meals does he eat in a week?

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15. What number makes this equation true?
\(12 × 8 = ⎕\)

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16. Which fraction is equivalent to \(\frac{1}{3}\)?

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17. A cafeteria menu had spaghetti with meatballs for $10 and bean soup for $6. How much would it cost to buy three plates of spaghetti with meatballs and two bowls of bean soup?


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18. The perimeter of a square is 24 units. Each side of this square is the same length.
What is the length of one side of the square in units?

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19. Maya buys 4 pens for $1.60 each and pays with a $20 bill. How much change should she get?

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20. Sam has 8 bags with 8 shells in each bag. He gives away 9 shells. How many shells does he have left?

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Best 3rd Grade Math Workbook Resource for 2027

Answers and explanations

Every worked solution opens in the quiz box as soon as you submit that question, so you can compare your method with the solution while it is fresh. Press Try again on the last screen to work through the set a second time.

Looking for the best resource to help you succeed on the 3rd Grade PSSA Math test?

The Best Books to Ace the 3rd Grade PSSA Math Test

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Recommended EffortlessMath Books

For a workbook your child can use alongside this practice test, the 3rd Grade PSSA Math for Beginners (resource currently unavailable) walks through every grade-3 topic on the test with worked examples. For full Pennsylvania state-test prep with multiple practice tests, see the 3rd Grade PSSA Math Test Prep Bundle (resource currently unavailable).

Frequently Asked Questions

What do PSSA scores mean?

PSSA scores place your child in one of four performance levels: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient or Advanced. Proficient means your 3rd grader has met Pennsylvania's grade-level expectations in math, and Advanced means they went beyond them. The report also shows a scale score and results by reporting category, which helps you pick topics to practice over the summer.

How do I find my child's PSSA scores?

Your child's school district shares PSSA results, either as a printed Individual Student Report or through the district's parent portal. Reports usually come out in late summer or fall after spring testing. If you have not received one, contact the school office or your child's teacher and ask for the latest PSSA report.

What is the PSSA math sampler for grade 3?

The PSSA item sampler is a free set of sample questions released by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The grade 3 math sampler shows real question formats, including multiple choice and open-ended items where students show their work. It is a great companion to a full practice test, because your child sees how answers are scored and how much explanation is expected.

Is a calculator allowed on the grade 3 PSSA math test?

No, calculators are not allowed on the grade 3 PSSA math test. Third graders need to multiply and divide within 100 by hand and handle problems like finding the area of a 6 by 7 rectangle (42 square units) without help. Daily fact practice is the best preparation, so these steps feel quick on test day.

What is PSSA 3rd grade math eligible content?

Eligible content is Pennsylvania's list of the specific skills that can appear on the PSSA, based on the PA Core Standards. For 3rd grade math it includes place value and rounding, multiplication and division within 100, fractions on a number line, area and perimeter, time, measurement and reading graphs. Checking off each skill as your child practices keeps review focused.

Related EffortlessMath Lessons

If a topic on this page feels rusty, these short lessons go deeper:

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