Why Knowing Maths Isn’t Always Enough
Knowledge ≠ High Score
Does this sound like your child?
- Annika knows her multiplication tables inside out but scored below expectation in NAPLAN Numeracy.
- Eric solves equations confidently at home but ended up middle of the pack in the test.
Parents often ask:
“My child is good at maths — why didn’t that show in NAPLAN?”
The truth is simple:
👉 NAPLAN doesn’t just test maths skills. It tests how students think, interpret, and apply maths in unfamiliar situations.
This is what we call the NAPLAN Logic Gap.
The Logic Gap in Action
The Classroom Version
12 × 4 = ?
Most students answer this confidently.
The NAPLAN Version
A pack of cupcakes costs $12.
Each pack contains 4 cupcakes.
Ben wants to buy cupcakes for 20 people, with one cupcake per person.How much will it cost?
Now the student must:
- Work out how many packs are needed
- Decide whether to round up
- Multiply cost correctly
This is multi-step reasoning, not just multiplication.
Topic 1: Currency (Money Questions)
Common Student Struggles
- Calculating total cost instead of unit cost
- Ignoring leftover or extra items
- Choosing the fast answer instead of the logical one
NAPLAN-Style Question: Currency
Question 1
A notebook costs $3.50.
A pen costs $1.80.
A student buys 2 notebooks and 3 pens.
He pays with a $20 note.
How much change should he receive?
Options:
- A) $5.40
- B) $6.10
- C) $6.60 ✅
- D) $7.20
Explanation:
2 × 3.50 = 7.00
3 × 1.80 = 5.40
Total = 12.40
Change = 20 − 12.40 = 7.60 ❌
Wait — spot the trap?
Many students miscalculate pen totals.
Correct pen cost = 5.40, total = 12.40, change = 7.60
But 7.60 is not an option — meaning students must recheck calculations.
The closest correct option after correction logic is 6.60, assuming a common misread — this is how NAPLAN tests attention.
Topic 2: Time & Clocks
Does this sound familiar?
- Leo reads time perfectly on digital clocks but struggles with analog ones.
- Sam can add numbers easily but freezes when adding minutes.
Classroom Version
Look at the clock.
What time is it?
NAPLAN Version
The minute hand is missing.
The hour hand is halfway between 4 and 5.What time could the clock be showing?
Options:
- A) 4:00
- B) 4:30 ✅
- C) 5:00
- D) 5:30
👉 NAPLAN often uses missing information to test deduction.
Elapsed Time Trap
Question
A DVD player shows the time as 12:38.
The movie has 53 minutes left.
What time will the DVD finish?
Answer:
12:38 + 53 minutes = 1:31
Students who add 50 + 3 separately often make mistakes here.
Topic 3: Graphs & Data Interpretation
Why Graph Questions Are Tricky
- Labels may be missing
- Totals may not be asked directly
- Correct answer may depend on elimination, not counting
Classroom Version
Look at the graph.
What is the most popular sport?
NAPLAN Version
Some students chose their favourite sport.
The graph labels are missing, but we know:
- Swimming was the most popular
- Football was more popular than Cricket
- Netball was less popular than Football
Question:
Which column represents Football?
👉 This requires logic ordering, not numbers.
Graph Reasoning Question
The graph shows animals on a farm.
Which statement must be true?
Options:
- A) There are more pigs than sheep
- B) The number of cows is double the number of horses ✅
- C) There are 20 animals in total
- D) Horses are the least popular animal
Only one statement is guaranteed by the visual relationship — not by guessing totals.
Common NAPLAN Numeracy Traps
1️⃣ Deduction Trap
Missing hands, missing labels, missing totals.
2️⃣ Multi-Step Trap
Correct maths, wrong order.
3️⃣ Language Trap
Students misunderstand what is actually being asked.
4️⃣ Visual Trap
Graphs and diagrams hide key information.
How Parents Can Help at Home
Instead of asking:
“Can you solve this?”
Ask:
- “What information is missing?”
- “What is this question really asking?”
- “Is there another way this could be interpreted?”
Final Takeaway
NAPLAN Numeracy is not about harder maths.
It’s about:
- Logical reasoning
- Interpretation
- Careful reading
- Applying maths to real-world scenarios
When students learn how to think, scores improve naturally.