How to play Math Rush
Math Rush shows you a sum with an answer, such as 7 × 8 = 54, and you say whether it is true or false before the timer bar runs out. Every right answer adds a point and the sums slowly get harder. Play Relaxed for three lives and plenty of time, or Rush for a quicker test.
Step by step
Pick a speed
Choose Relaxed, with three lives and 10 seconds a sum, or Rush, where one slip ends the run and you have 5 seconds.
Read the sum
Each sum is shown with an answer after the equals sign. Work out whether that answer is right.
Tap True or False
Tap True if the sum is right and False if it is wrong. On a keyboard, press the left arrow or T for True, and the right arrow or F for False.
Beat the timer
The bar above the sum shows how long you have left. Answering in time refills it for the next sum.
Keep your streak going
Every right answer scores a point and adds to your streak. A wrong answer or running out of time costs a life.
Pause any time
Tap Pause to take a break. The sum is hidden while you rest, so the pause is fair.
The full rules
What you need
Math Rush works on any phone, tablet or computer. You tap or click the big True and False buttons, or use the keyboard. No pen or paper is needed, although some people like to keep one nearby for the harder sums.
The aim
Answer as many sums correctly as you can before you run out of lives. Your score is the number of right answers, so a long, steady run beats a quick dash full of guesses.
How to play
Each turn shows one sum with an answer, for example 7 × 8 = 54. You decide whether it is true.
- Tap True if the answer shown is right.
- Tap False if the answer shown is wrong. (7 × 8 is 56, so 7 × 8 = 54 is false.)
- On a keyboard, press ← or T for True and → or F for False. Space or P pauses.
As soon as you answer, the next sum appears and the timer bar fills up again.
The timer
The bar above the sum shrinks while you think. If it runs out before you answer, that counts as a wrong answer. The time allowed gets a little shorter with every point you score, so the game slowly speeds up:
- Relaxed: 10 seconds for the first sum, never less than 6 seconds.
- Rush: 5 seconds for the first sum, never less than 2.5 seconds.
Lives
In Relaxed mode you have three lives, shown as hearts. A wrong answer or a time-out costs one life and shows you the correct sum, so you learn as you go. The run ends when the last heart is gone.
In Rush mode there is only one life: the first slip ends the run.
How the sums get harder
| Score | What you see |
|---|---|
| 0 to 4 | Adding and taking away, up to 20 |
| 5 to 11 | Adding and taking away up to 50, and times tables up to 5 |
| 12 to 19 | Numbers up to 100, times tables up to 10, and dividing |
| 20 to 29 | Numbers up to 200, times tables up to 12 |
| 30 and up | Sums with two steps, such as 4 × 6 + 9 |
In a two-step sum, do any times or divide part first, then the adding or taking away. So 3 + 4 × 5 = 23, not 35.
Scoring
Each right answer scores one point and adds one to your streak. A wrong answer resets the streak to zero. At the end of a run you see your score, your best streak in that run, and your best score for that speed, which is saved on your device.
Tips for beginners
- Start with Relaxed. Three lives and a long timer let you settle in.
- Check the last digit first. 7 × 8 must end in 6, so an answer ending in 4 is false without any more work.
- Watch for swapped digits. 45 and 54 look alike when you are hurrying.
- Know your neighbours. A common trick answer is the next row of the times table, such as 48 for 7 × 8.
- Remember the order of operations. In two-step sums, times and divide come before plus and minus.
- Use pause. If you need a breather, pause. The sum is hidden until you carry on.
Common questions
What happens if I get one wrong?
In Relaxed mode you lose one of your three lives, the correct sum is shown, and play carries on. In Rush mode the run ends straight away. Either way your score so far is kept.
Do the sums get harder?
Yes, a little at a time. You start with adding and taking away up to 20. Times tables come in after 5 right answers, dividing after 12, bigger numbers after 20, and sums with two steps after 30. The timer also gets slightly shorter as your score grows, but never shorter than 6 seconds in Relaxed mode or 2.5 seconds in Rush.
Can the answers be negative or fractions?
No. Every number you see is a whole number of 0 or more, and every division sum divides exactly.
How does scoring work?
You get one point for each right answer. Your best score for each speed is saved on your device, and your best streak in the run is shown at the end.
Is Math Rush good for brain training?
Quick mental arithmetic keeps number facts fresh and is a pleasant way to practise times tables. It is a game rather than a medical brain-training programme, so play it for fun.
Where it comes from
Quick true-or-false arithmetic drills have long been used in classrooms to practise number facts such as times tables, often against a clock. The same idea is now a common format in puzzle books and brain-training apps, where the challenge is to answer accurately while the pace slowly rises. Math Rush is our own friendly version of that idea.
