How to explain mixed reasoning in practice assessment 2 to your child
27 October 2026
Mixed reasoning questions ask your child to use more than one operation, like adding and then subtracting, all in the same problem. These are common in 11+ practice and help children learn to think through each step carefully.
Worked example
There are 8 blue balloons and 5 red balloons. Then 3 balloons pop. How many balloons are left?
Add the blue and red balloons: 8 + 5 = 13
Take away the popped balloons: 13 - 3 = 10
The answer is 10 balloons left.
Key insight: After working through this example, your child will be able to spot when to add and when to subtract in a mixed question. They can now try similar problems to build confidence with mixed reasoning in practice assessment 2.
