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Maths Mindset

Questions to ask instead of giving the answer

Use prompts that help children think through a problem.

Quick answer

Instead of giving children the answer, ask questions that help them think through the problem themselves. This builds confidence, curiosity, and strong maths skills.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will know how to ask the right questions to help you solve maths problems without just telling you the answer. Success signs:
  • You can ask your own questions when you're stuck on a maths problem
  • You can help a friend or sibling work through a maths problem
  • You feel more confident when solving new maths problems
  • You can explain your thinking when solving a maths problem

Why this matters

When you ask questions instead of giving the answer, you help children learn how to think like a mathematician. This helps them solve problems in school, in games, and in real life. It builds their confidence, curiosity, and ability to think through hard problems. This is how great mathematicians work. They don’t just know the answer, they figure it out step by step. When you ask questions, you help children become better problem-solvers, not just answer-getters.

How it works

Here's how to use questions to help children think through a problem:
  1. Start with what you know: Ask "What do you already know about this problem?"
  2. Ask how to start: Ask "What can you do first?"
  3. Ask for a strategy: Ask "What could you try?"
  4. Check your thinking: Ask "Does this make sense?"
  5. Encourage reflection: Ask "How did you solve it?"
These questions help children use their thinking skills instead of just copying or guessing.

Examples you can see

Let’s look at how this works in real maths problems. Example 1: Counting in groups You have 3 groups of 4 toys. How many toys do you have altogether? Instead of saying: "It’s 12." Ask:
  • "How many groups do you have?"
  • "How many toys are in each group?"
  • "Can you count them all?"
  • "What can you do to find the total?"
This helps the child think through how to solve it, not just get the answer. Example 2: Sharing food You have 12 cookies and 4 friends. How many cookies does each friend get? Instead of saying: "Each friend gets 3 cookies." Ask:
  • "How many cookies are there in total?"
  • "How many friends are sharing?"
  • "What can you do to share them fairly?"
  • "Can you draw it or use objects?"
This helps the child understand what sharing means and how to divide. Example 3: Measuring You want to know how tall your plant is. You have a ruler. Instead of saying: "It’s 15 cm tall." Ask:
  • "What are you measuring?"
  • "What unit are you using?"
  • "How do you line up the ruler?"
  • "What number does the plant reach?"
This helps the child learn how to measure properly.

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: The Great Maths Mystery You are a detective solving a mystery. You find a note that says: "There are 5 boxes. Each box has 3 apples. How many apples are there in total?" Your mission: Solve the mystery using questions, not answers.
  1. 1st time: What do you know about the note?
  2. 2nd time: What is the question asking you to find?
  3. 3rd time: What do you need to do first?
  4. 4th time: What can you do to find the answer?
  5. 5th time: How can you check your answer?
After you solve it, try asking a friend the same question and see if they can solve it with your questions.

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: "You're wrong, here's the right answer." Why it happens: Adults want to fix things quickly. Fix: Ask questions to help the child think again.
  • Mistake: "Try harder." Why it happens: It's easy to give advice instead of help. Fix: Ask "What can you try next?" or "What do you think?"
  • Mistake: "You don’t understand." Why it happens: We sometimes think children don’t get it. Fix: Ask "What do you think?" or "Can you show me what you did?"
  • Mistake: Not asking any questions at all. Why it happens: It's hard to think of good questions. Fix: Use the list of questions from this page to get started.

Parent and carer guide

As a parent or carer, you can help your child by asking questions instead of giving answers. Here’s how to do it in 5-10 minutes:
  • Start with curiosity: When your child says, "I don’t get it," ask, "What do you think you need to do?"
  • Encourage thinking: Instead of saying "Yes, that's right," ask, "How did you work that out?"
  • Help them try again: If they get stuck, ask, "What can you try next?"
  • Use everyday maths: When cooking, ask, "How many cups of flour do we need if we double the recipe?"
  • Be patient: Let your child think for a few seconds before answering. It takes time to build problem-solving skills.
You don’t need to be a maths expert. You just need to ask the right questions and let your child think.

Practice questions

  1. There are 4 groups of 5 stickers. How many stickers are there? Answer: 20 stickers
  2. You have 18 pencils and 3 pencil cases. How many pencils go in each case? Answer: 6 pencils
  3. You are 10 years old. Your brother is 4 years younger. How old is your brother? Answer: 6 years old
  4. You walk 200 metres to school and 200 metres back. How far do you walk in total? Answer: 400 metres
  5. You have 3 boxes. Each box has 7 toys. How many toys do you have? Answer: 21 toys

FAQ

Why should I ask questions instead of giving the answer?

Asking questions helps children think for themselves. It builds confidence, problem-solving skills, and curiosity. It makes learning more fun and meaningful.

What if my child keeps asking for the answer?

It’s normal for children to want the answer at first. Keep asking questions and guiding them. Over time, they’ll start to enjoy thinking through problems.

How do I know if my child understands?

Ask them to explain how they solved a problem. If they can explain their thinking, they understand. If they can’t, ask more questions to help them think.

Can I use these questions for any maths problem?

Yes! These questions work for counting, sharing, measuring, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They help with any kind of maths problem.

What if I don’t know the answer?

That’s okay! You can ask the same questions to figure it out together. It’s a great way to learn with your child.