Quick Maths — mental arithmetic rules and how to play
Quick Maths is a pass-and-play mental arithmetic game for 2–20 players in which each player answers timed questions on the phone’s own number pad, scoring 10 points a correct answer plus a bonus for every third one in a row.
- Players
- 2–20 players
- Length
- ~10 minutes
- Type
- Brain game
- Type
- High energy
Runs in your browser · no download · no account
Everyone thinks they are fine at mental maths until there are eight seconds left and four people are watching. Quick Maths is built around that exact moment: one question at a time, a bar draining across the top, and a keypad that does not autocorrect.
Two things feed the questions. A generator builds arithmetic on the spot — three difficulty tiers running from single digits and easy doubles up to three-digit sums, two-digit times one-digit, and awkward percentages of round numbers. Alongside it sit 274 hand-written word problems, the kind with a pizza and a wrong assumption in them. Play either on its own, or mix them.
The scoring rewards nerve rather than caution. Every correct answer is 10 points, but every third correct answer in a row adds a streak bonus, so the player who keeps going after two right answers is playing for more than the player who skips. Skipping is free and always available — it just resets the counter, which is punishment enough.
What you need
- One phone, passed round the group
- 2 to 20 players — solo practice works too
- A rule that nobody shouts the answer
- About 10 minutes
How to play Quick Maths
Pick your players, then set the maths: generated drills, hand-written word puzzles or a mix, at one of three difficulty levels.
Choose the clock — 10, 20 or 30 seconds a question — or flip on Lightning, where each player gets one 60-second run and takes as many questions as they can.
The phone goes to one player at a time. Everyone else stays quiet: shouting the answer is the only real foul in this game.
Type your answer on the on-screen number pad and hit Enter. Fractions and decimals both count, so 3/4 and 0.75 are the same answer.
A correct answer is +10, and every third one in a row adds a streak bonus. A miss shows you the answer and how to get there. Skipping costs nothing but it breaks the streak.
After your run, the recap lists every question with what you typed. Tap any row to change the call if the app judged you unfairly.
When everyone has had their turn, the highest total wins. A tie sends the tied players back in for one more round each.
Scoring and winning
- A correct answer is +10 points.
- Every third correct answer in a row adds a +5 streak bonus, so three in a row is 35 and six in a row is 70.
- A wrong answer, a time-out and a skip all score zero. The difference is that a wrong answer shows you the working.
- Skipping costs nothing but it resets your streak, so the bonus has to be earned again from scratch.
- The recap after your turn lists every question with what you typed. Tap any row to change the verdict, and the streak bonuses are recalculated from scratch.
- Highest total after everyone has played wins. A tie sends the tied players back in for one more round each.
Quick Maths strategy and tips
- Answer the easy half instantly. The streak bonus rewards volume, and two fast singles are worth more than one heroic three-digit subtraction that eats the clock.
- Break big multiplications at the tens: 47 × 8 is (40 × 8) + (7 × 8). The explanation screen shows this working every time you miss one, which is the fastest way to stop missing them.
- For percentages, find 10% first and scale it. 30% of 240 is three lots of 24. For 25%, quarter it instead — dividing by four beats multiplying by 0.25 under pressure.
- Subtract by adding up. For 823 − 468, count from 468 to 500, then to 800, then to 823. It is far more reliable than borrowing in your head.
- Skip word problems that need re-reading. On a 10-second clock the reading alone can cost you the question, and the skip is free.
- Fractions and decimals both count, so answer in whichever form you reach first. 3/4 and 0.75 are graded as the same answer.
Variants and house rules
Lightning round
Built in as a toggle: each player gets one 60-second run instead of a fixed number of questions, and takes as many as they can. Wrong answers auto-advance so the clock never waits for anyone.
Handicapped tiers
House rule for mixed-age groups: play a round at Warm-up for the youngest, then change settings to Show-off for the adults. Scores carry across a play-again, so the handicap is real.
Times tables only
Turn off every operation except multiplication and set the tier to Sharp. You get pure tables to 12, which is the fastest revision tool in the app.
Puzzles only, no clock pressure
Switch to Puzzles and 30 seconds a question. The word problems reward reading properly, and at 30 seconds the game becomes a conversation instead of a race.
Team relay
Split into pairs and count a pair’s two turns as one score. One partner answers, the other holds them to the rule that they cannot say anything at all.
Quick Maths FAQ
How do you play Quick Maths?
Pick players, choose generated drills, written puzzles or a mix, and set a clock of 10, 20 or 30 seconds a question. Players take the phone in turn, answer on the on-screen keypad, and score 10 a correct answer with a bonus every third in a row.
Does it use the phone keyboard?
No. The game has its own number pad with digits, a minus sign, a decimal point and a fraction slash, so the OS keyboard never covers the question and nothing gets autocorrected.
How are fractions and decimals graded?
Numerically, with a small tolerance. Typing 3/4, 0.75 or .75 all match an answer of 3/4, and 0.333 is accepted for a third.
What happens if the app marks me wrong unfairly?
The recap after your turn lists every question with your answer next to the right one. Tap any row to flip the verdict, and your points and streak bonuses update immediately.
Can one person play alone?
Yes — take a single turn and treat your total as a score to beat. Lightning mode with a 60-second clock is the best solo format.
Is it suitable for children?
The Warm-up tier is single digits, halves and easy doubles, and the 30-second clock takes the pressure off. Mixed-age groups usually play a tier apart and keep score together.