Math speed test: method

What it measures

Arithmetic fluency: speed of retrieving and computing simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts. It reflects a practised skill, not general intelligence.

Procedure

After a countdown, problems are shown one at a time for 60 s. Each problem is drawn by a seeded generator: the operation is chosen at random from +, -, x and /; addition uses two numbers from 2 to 99; subtraction is an addition backwards ((a + b) - a); multiplication uses two numbers from 2 to 12; division is a multiplication backwards ((a x b) / a), so every answer is a whole number of at least 0. The same problem never appears twice in a row. The player types digits (on-screen keypad or keyboard; Backspace deletes, Escape clears). The answer is accepted automatically as soon as it equals the right result; there is no Enter key and no skip. The server regenerates the problems from the seed to check each answer.

Parameters

Scoring

Primary metric: number of problems solved within 60 s (plus a 1.5 s network grace); higher is better. Also reported: problems solved per operation and time per solved problem = 60,000 ms / problems solved. Because only right answers are sent, the wrong-answer count is always 0.

Valid-run rules

Answer times must not go backwards; answers after the time limit are not counted. Leaving the tab or switching windows during the countdown or run stops it, and nothing is scored. Every scored run is stored with its input device class (touch, mouse, keyboard), page language, scorer version and runner-config hash. Quality flags (for example many runs from one connection within an hour, a missing visitor id, an automated browser, impossibly fast answers) and earlier attempts by the same visitor, account or connection are recorded with the row. Such runs are kept, but they are left out of any comparison with other players. Flags never change the player's own result.

Differences from the classic task

Standard fluency tests (for example paper math-fluency subtests) use fixed problem sheets, often by operation, with published norms. This version uses a new random mix every run, auto-advances on a right answer, has no skip, and has no norms.

Limitations

The random mix of operations changes difficulty between runs. Typing speed and the input device (touch keypad versus physical keyboard) affect the score. Scores rise quickly with practice. A player stuck on one problem cannot skip it. Unsupervised setting, no norms, no clinical use.

Languages and review status

Numbers and arithmetic symbols only (Western Arabic digits); instructions in all site languages.