PARCC Grade 3 Math Practice Questions 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is 7 × 8?

54
56 (Correct answer)
58
63

Correct answer: 56

7 × 8 = 56. This is one of the key multiplication facts that Grade 3 students are expected to memorize.

Multiplication is the process of adding a number to itself a certain number of times. 7 × 8 means 7 groups of 8, or 8 groups of 7 (by the commutative property). Way to verify: count by 8s seven times: 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56 ✓ Or count by 7s eight times: 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56 ✓ Knowing all multiplication facts from 1×1 through 10×10 (or 12×12) is a core Grade 3 math skill. The 7s multiplication table is often considered one of the hardest to memorize. Helpful tricks: - 7 × 7 = 49 (a square number) - 7 × 8 = 56 (the digits 5, 6, 7, 8 appear in order: 56 = 7 × 8) Fluency with multiplication facts is foundational for all higher math: division, fractions, algebra, and beyond. Automaticity (knowing facts instantly without counting) frees mental resources for solving more complex problems on PARCC assessments.

Question 2: A bag contains 24 marbles. If they are shared equally among 6 friends, how many marbles does each friend get?

3
4 (Correct answer)
5
6

Correct answer: 4

24 ÷ 6 = 4. Each friend gets 4 marbles.

This is a division problem asking for equal sharing. Equal sharing (partitive division) divides a total into a given number of equal groups and asks how many are in each group. 24 marbles shared equally among 6 friends: 24 ÷ 6 = 4 Each friend gets 4 marbles. Verification: 6 × 4 = 24 ✓ (Multiplication is the inverse of division.) Division can also be understood as repeated subtraction: starting with 24, subtract 6 repeatedly until reaching 0: 24 − 6 = 18 (1 time) 18 − 6 = 12 (2 times) 12 − 6 = 6 (3 times) 6 − 6 = 0 (4 times) This takes 4 subtractions, confirming 24 ÷ 6 = 4. Grade 3 students use division in equal sharing and equal grouping contexts. The PARCC Grade 3 math assessment tests division as the inverse of multiplication and through word problems that require students to identify whether to multiply or divide.

Question 3: Which fraction is equal to one-half?

2/3
3/4
4/8 (Correct answer)
5/9

Correct answer: 4/8

4/8 = 1/2 because both the numerator and denominator of 4/8 can be divided by 4, giving 1/2. They are equivalent fractions.

Equivalent fractions represent the same value even though they use different numerators and denominators. Two fractions are equivalent if one can be obtained by multiplying or dividing both the numerator and denominator of the other by the same nonzero number. To check if 4/8 = 1/2: Divide both numerator and denominator of 4/8 by 4: 4 ÷ 4 = 1 (numerator) 8 ÷ 4 = 2 (denominator) 4/8 = 1/2 ✓ Alternatively, multiply both numerator and denominator of 1/2 by 4: 1 × 4 = 4; 2 × 4 = 8 1/2 = 4/8 ✓ Check the other options: 2/3 → cannot be simplified to 1/2 (2 and 3 share no common factor other than 1) 3/4 → this is three-quarters, not one-half 5/9 → cannot be simplified to 1/2 Equivalent fractions are a key Grade 3 math concept. Visual models like fraction bars and number lines help students see that 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, and 4/8 all represent the same portion of a whole.

Question 4: A farmer plants 5 rows of corn with 9 plants in each row. How many corn plants are there in total?

14
40
45 (Correct answer)
54

Correct answer: 45

Total plants = 5 × 9 = 45. This is an equal groups multiplication problem: 5 groups of 9.

This is an equal-groups multiplication word problem. The structure is: Number of groups × Size of each group = Total 5 rows × 9 plants per row = 45 plants total This can also be visualized as an array: a rectangular arrangement of 5 rows and 9 columns, with 45 total objects. 5 × 9 = 45 (recall from multiplication tables) Verification: 9 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 9 = 45 (adding 9 five times) ✓ The array model is particularly useful for Grade 3 students because it connects multiplication to the concept of area (rows × columns) and provides a visual representation. A 5 × 9 array has the same total as a 9 × 5 array (commutative property), which is why 5 × 9 = 9 × 5 = 45. Recognizing multiplication situations in word problems is a major PARCC Grade 3 math skill. Key phrases that indicate multiplication: 'rows of,' 'groups of,' 'per,' 'each,' 'altogether,' 'in all.'

Question 5: What time is shown on a clock when the hour hand points to 3 and the minute hand points to 12?

12:03
3:00 (Correct answer)
3:12
12:15

Correct answer: 3:00

When the minute hand points to 12, it is exactly on the hour. The hour hand pointing to 3 means it is 3 o'clock, or 3:00.

Reading an analog clock is an important Grade 3 math skill. Here's how to read the two hands: The HOUR hand: - Points to the current hour - Moves slowly (completes one full rotation in 12 hours) - Points to 3 → it is 3:__ o'clock The MINUTE hand: - Points to 12 when it is exactly on the hour (0 minutes) - Points to 3 when it is 15 minutes past the hour (:15) - Points to 6 when it is 30 minutes past the hour (:30) - Points to 9 when it is 45 minutes past the hour (:45) - Completes one full rotation every 60 minutes When hour hand → 3 and minute hand → 12: the time is 3:00 (three o'clock). On a digital clock, this would be shown as 3:00. The colon separates the hours from the minutes. Understanding both analog and digital clock representations is tested on PARCC Grade 3 math.

Question 6: Which number sentence represents the array shown? (3 rows of 6 objects)

3 + 6 = 9
3 × 6 = 18 (Correct answer)
6 + 3 = 9
18 ÷ 3 = 9

Correct answer: 3 × 6 = 18

An array of 3 rows with 6 objects in each row represents 3 × 6 = 18 total objects. Arrays model multiplication.

An array is a visual model for multiplication that shows objects arranged in equal rows and columns. The key relationship is: Number of rows × Number of objects in each row = Total objects For 3 rows of 6 objects: 3 × 6 = 18 total objects The array also demonstrates important properties: - Commutative property: 3 × 6 = 6 × 3 = 18 (a 3×6 array has the same total as a 6×3 array) - The total (18) can also be found as a related division fact: 18 ÷ 3 = 6 or 18 ÷ 6 = 3 Why the other options are wrong: - 3 + 6 = 9 is addition, not a representation of equal groups - 6 + 3 = 9 is also addition - 18 ÷ 3 = 9 is incorrect: 18 ÷ 3 = 6, not 9 Arrays are a bridge between repeated addition and multiplication. Grade 3 students learn to use arrays to understand why multiplication works and to find products. PARCC Grade 3 math problems frequently use array representations to assess multiplication understanding.

PARCC Grade 3 Math Practice Questions 2

What is 7 × 8?