United States · Beast Academy Levels 1 to 5 · Hints, not answers

Beast Academy tutor: live help for Levels 1 to 5

Families choose Beast Academy because it asks more of a child than a typical elementary book: comic-style Guides, long Practice pages and starred problems that can take a whole afternoon. That is the point of it, and also why some children stop enjoying it. A good tutor for Beast Academy does not make it easier. They keep a child inside the hard problem long enough to crack it, with the right hint at the right moment. This page sets out how the program is organised, from its own site, and how live help fits beside it.

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Teaching math and coding live since 2020 · 10,000+ students · grades K to 12

In short

Beast Academy is an elementary math program from Art of Problem Solving for ages 6 to 13, in five levels of four units each, taught through comic-style Guide books, Practice books and BA Online. A Beast Academy tutor helps a child work through its challenging problems with hints instead of answers. Modern Age Coders teaches live online for US families, in a batch or 1-on-1, through its Elementary Math course, and the first class is free.

Live courses for Beast Academy families

Three courses that work beside Beast Academy

Each keeps the Beast Academy book or online level in front of the child and adds a teacher who knows when to hint and when to wait.

Elementary Maths for Grades 1-5 course thumbnail

BA / 01

Elementary math, grades 1 to 5

Our main course for Levels 1 to 4: number sense, multiplication, fractions, taught for depth.

Open the syllabus →
Middle School Math Competitions course thumbnail

BA / 02

Math competitions

For Level 4 and 5 students who love the puzzles and want MATHCOUNTS or AMC 8 problems.

Open the syllabus →
Middle School Mathematics Mastery course thumbnail

BA / 03

Middle school math

For the step after Level 5: prealgebra, ratios and equations.

Open the syllabus →

What it is

What is Beast Academy, and who is it for?

Beast Academy is the elementary math program of Art of Problem Solving. Its FAQ calls it a full math program for ages 6 to 13 that covers grade-level standards in more depth than most elementary curricula.

Beast Academy at a glance (beastacademy.com home, FAQ and books pages, checked 31 October 2026)
QuestionWhat Beast Academy says
Who makes it?"the elementary school math program created by Art of Problem Solving (AoPS)"
AgesA full math program "for kids ages 6-13"
Standards"loosely based on the Common Core standards"
FormatsPhysical books, BA Online, or a mix of both
Size"20,000+ problems, puzzles, and skill games" across books and online lessons
Live classesVideo-based classes for Levels 2 to 5, learning "alongside 10-16 curious peers"
Full or supplement?Either: "a stand-alone curriculum or as a supplement to another program"
What comes nextLevel 5 of BA Online gives the background for AoPS prealgebra

Guide and Practice

The books page explains the pairing. Guide books teach in an illustrated, comic-style format. Practice books "contain exercises, problems, and puzzles that reinforce the lessons taught in the Guides", with step-by-step solutions, and "Many solutions feature more than one approach."

Books and BA Online "cover the same concepts in the same order of units and chapters", but the Practice books contain completely different problems from the online ones, so a child can use both without repeating work.

Not only for advanced children

The FAQ says the program was created with accelerated learners in mind but is flexible, and that children with a wide range of abilities have used it.

It also says honestly that some children use it independently while others "might need greater support as they encounter new topics and work through challenging problems." That second group is who this page is for.

Sources: Beast Academy, its FAQ and books page, checked 31 October 2026. Beast Academy and Art of Problem Solving are trademarks of their owner. Modern Age Coders is not affiliated with or endorsed by Art of Problem Solving.

Levels and units

What do Beast Academy Levels 1 to 5 cover?

Each of the five levels is split into four units, A to D. Once a child finishes unit D of a level, the books page says they are ready for unit A of the next.

Beast Academy levels, ages and unit topics (beastacademy.com/books, checked 31 October 2026)
LevelAgesUnit AUnit BUnit CUnit D
16 to 8Counting, shapes, comparingAddition, subtraction, categoriesAddition and subtraction, comparing, patternsBig numbers, measurement, problem solving
27 to 9Place value, comparing, additionSubtraction, expressions, problem solvingMeasurement, strategies, odds and evensBig numbers, algorithms, problem solving
38 to 10Shapes, skip-counting, perimeter and areaMultiplication, perfect squares, the distributive propertyVariables, division, measurementFractions, estimation, area
49 to 12Shapes, multiplication, exponentsCounting, division, logicFactors, fractions, integersFractions, decimals, probability
510 to 133D solids, integers, expressions and equationsStatistics, factors and multiples, fractionsSequences, ratios and rates, decimalsPercents, square roots, exponents

Starting a level behind

The FAQ recommends that students start "about a level ‘behind’ their current grade level", because the problems are demanding. Its example: a child who is 8 or 9 should likely start with Level 2.

Beast Academy also offers a placement test, which we suggest before any tutoring starts, so the teacher and the book agree on where the child is.

Level 1 is different

Level 1 does not have separate Guide and Practice books; all of its material is combined into a single book per unit. Levels 2 to 5 each have four Guide books and four Practice books.

The FAQ adds that Levels 4 and 5 "also cover many middle-grades standards", which is why some older children use them in grades 6 and 7.

Pacing

How fast should a child move through Beast Academy?

Slower than parents expect. The FAQ suggests 12 to 15 days per chapter, so that one level fills a 180-day school year, and it says children are not meant to do every problem.

Beast Academy’s own pacing advice (beastacademy.com/faq, checked 31 October 2026) and what it means in practice (our reading)
What the FAQ saysWhat it means at home
"Aim to spend 12-15 days teaching a chapter"Two to three school weeks per chapter is normal, not slow
Finish one level in 180 daysOne level is roughly one school year
Assign Practice "by time and not by pages"Set 30 or 40 minutes, not "do pages 12 to 18"
"some pages in the Practice books may take more than an hour"A long page is not a sign of failure
"we don't expect students to complete every single problem"Skipping some problems is part of the design

In our experience the families who struggle most with Beast Academy are not the ones whose children find it hard. They are the ones trying to finish a set number of pages a day. Switching to a timed session, with the hardest starred problems saved for a class with the teacher, usually changes the mood within a couple of weeks.

When stuck

What should a child do when stuck on a Beast Academy problem?

Beast Academy publishes its own advice, and it is good. A tutor adds a second layer: a hint ladder that gives the least help that still moves the child forward.

Beast Academy’s advice

The FAQ says children should know that hard problems take time, and that taking a long time "does not mean that they’re bad at math." It suggests re-reading the lesson in the Guide and the examples at the top of the Practice pages, trying something new, and using "the guiding questions at the back of the Practice book" for starred problems.

And: "it’s always okay to take a break and come back later with fresh eyes."

What a tutor adds

A book’s hint is the same for every child. A teacher watching the child work can see whether they misread the question, chose a poor first step or simply ran out of patience, and hint at exactly that.

The aim is the same as the book’s: the child solves it. The tutor just makes the gap between stuck and solved smaller.

  1. Rung 1, restate. "Tell me what the problem is asking, in your own words." Many stalls end here.
  2. Rung 2, smaller case. "Try it with smaller numbers first." A pattern in small cases often reveals the method.
  3. Rung 3, a picture. "Can you draw it?" Dots, a number line or a grid.
  4. Rung 4, a first step. The teacher suggests one move, not the whole route.
  5. Rung 5, a parked problem. If it is still stuck, it goes in a notebook and comes back next class. Nobody gives the answer.

This ladder is ours; it is how our teachers work with any challenging curriculum. It sits comfortably beside Beast Academy’s own suggestions.

Worked puzzles

Worked puzzles in Beast Academy’s topics, written by us

Three original problems on topics the books page lists for Levels 3 to 5, worked the way we would in class. They are ours, not copied from any Beast Academy book.

Neighbor squares, a Level 3 style topic: perfect squares and the distributive property (our example)
StepWhat the child doesWhat they notice
1Work out 13 x 13 = 169 and 12 x 14 = 168They differ by exactly 1
2Try 9 x 9 = 81 and 8 x 10 = 80Again 1 apart
3Draw a 13 by 13 square of dots, then move one column to make 12 by 14One dot is left over
4Use the distributive property: 12 x 14 = 12 x 12 + 12 x 2 = 144 + 24 = 168The algebra agrees with the drawing
5Predict 19 x 21 from 20 x 20 = 400399, before multiplying
neighbor_squares.py (our example)Python 3
for n in range(11, 16):
    print(n, n * n, (n - 1) * (n + 1))

Output: 11 121 120, then 12 144 143, 13 169 168, 14 196 195, 15 225 224. A parent can use this to check the pattern quickly; the child should find it with dots and the distributive property first.

Factor rectangles (a Level 4 topic)

How many different rectangles with whole-number sides have an area of 36 square units? Our worked answer: list factor pairs in order, 1 x 36, 2 x 18, 3 x 12, 4 x 9, 6 x 6, and stop when the pairs start repeating. Five rectangles, if a 4 by 9 and a 9 by 4 count as the same shape.

The thinking move is the stopping rule: once the first factor passes the square root, every pair has already appeared.

A growing sequence (a Level 5 topic)

What is the 50th term of 4, 7, 10, 13, and so on? Our worked answer: each step adds 3, and the 50th term is 49 steps after the first, so 4 + 49 x 3 = 151.

The common slip is 50 x 3 + 4 = 154: counting terms instead of steps. Asking "how many jumps from the 1st to the 3rd term?" fixes it.

Practice set in the same spirit (ours; answers in brackets)
ProblemHint if stuck
21 x 19 without a calculatorStart from 20 x 20 (399)
Which is bigger, 30 x 30 or 29 x 31? By how much?Neighbor squares (30 x 30, by 1)
How many rectangles with whole-number sides have area 24?List factor pairs (4)
The 50th term of 2, 7, 12, 17, and so onCount the jumps (247)
99 x 101Neighbor squares around 100 (9,999)

Where your child is

Four stages of working with a challenging curriculum

Our description of how children grow into Beast Academy-style problems.

Stages of problem-solving stamina (ours)
StageWhat it looks like
1. Answer-seekingWants the method before trying; upset by a long problem
2. TryingMakes an attempt, gives up after a few minutes
3. ExploringTries small cases and drawings without being asked
4. EnjoyingChooses the starred problems first

For parents

Stage 2 is where most families ask for a tutor. The goal is time on the problem, not speed.

Praise the attempt and the drawing, not only the answer.

For children

Being stuck is part of the problem. It means you are at the interesting bit.

Try the problem with smaller numbers. It works surprisingly often.

The catalogue

Nine courses for curious young mathematicians

From early number sense to competitions, taught live with plenty of thinking time.

I

Early years

Ages 6 to 8
II

Problem solvers

Ages 9 to 12
III

Further on

Ages 12 and up

How lessons run

Live classes with room to think

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Weekdays

After school, with the week’s parked problems.

Weekends

Longer sessions for the starred pages.

1-on-1

Paced to your level and unit.

Hint ladder

The smallest hint that still helps.

Book stays central

Guide and Practice on the desk.

Original puzzles

Extra problems written by our teachers.

No answer sheets

The child solves it.

All US time zones

Times around school and homeschool.

Batch or private

A class of fifteen to twenty, or one child.

Student work

Work from our students

Some puzzle lovers go on to code. See a few of their projects on student labs.

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Fees

Fees

Live classes alongside Beast Academy are billed monthly in US dollars, with no annual commitment, so families can add help for a demanding level and pause afterwards.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

  • A free first class
  • Bring a starred problem
  • No card needed
Book it

Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

  • Fifteen to twenty children
  • A steady teacher
  • Choose your batch
  • Billed monthly
Start here

One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

  • Your child and one teacher
  • Matched to their unit
  • Flexible times
Enquire

What families say

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

Google reviews from parents, as they wrote them.

★★★★★

"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."

Ria Mukherjee

Parent

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."

Samriddha Mondal

Student

★★★★★

"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."

Vansh Agarwal

Student

★★★★★

"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."

Sonam Oswal

Parent of Dhairya

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."

Sonu Goyal

Parent

★★★★★

"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."

Ritu Kedia

Parent

Questions from families

Beast Academy tutoring: common questions

Do you offer a Beast Academy tutor online?

Yes. Our teachers work live by video with your child's Beast Academy Guide and Practice books or BA Online, using hints rather than answers. Classes run as a batch of 15 to 20 or one to one.

Who makes Beast Academy?

Beast Academy is the elementary math program created by Art of Problem Solving (AoPS). Its FAQ describes it as a full math program for ages 6 to 13. We are independent and not affiliated with AoPS.

What level of Beast Academy should my child start?

The Beast Academy FAQ suggests starting about a level behind the child's current grade, so a child of 8 or 9 would usually begin at Level 2. It also offers a placement test, which we recommend.

How long should a Beast Academy chapter take?

The FAQ suggests 12 to 15 days per chapter, so that one level fills a 180-day school year. It recommends assigning Practice by time rather than by pages.

Does my child need to do every Beast Academy problem?

No. The FAQ says the curriculum has a lot of material and children are not expected to complete every problem. Some Practice pages can take more than an hour.

My child gets upset on hard problems. What helps?

Beast Academy advises re-reading the Guide, using the guiding questions at the back of the Practice book and taking breaks. A tutor adds hints tailored to the exact point where your child is stuck.

Is Beast Academy aligned to Common Core?

Its FAQ says Beast Academy is loosely based on the Common Core standards and covers the key topics for grades 1 to 5 in greater depth, with Levels 4 and 5 also covering many middle-grade standards.

What comes after Beast Academy Level 5?

Beast Academy says a child who completes Level 5 of BA Online has the background for AoPS prealgebra. Our middle school and competitions courses are also a natural next step.

When are classes held?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Will the tutor give my child the answers?

No. Our teachers use a hint ladder that gives the least help needed. A problem that is still unsolved is parked for next time rather than answered.

Elsewhere on this site

Related pages

More for families of children who love a hard problem.

Math competitions for middle school

Contests to try after Level 5.

MATHCOUNTS preparation

Team and individual problem solving.

Third grade math tutoring

Multiplication and early fractions.

Fourth grade math tutoring

Factors, fractions and multi-digit work.

Homeschool math curriculum

Building a math plan for home learning.

Olympiad and AMC tutoring

For older students who want the hardest problems.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: Homeschool and school math curricula guide

Curricula we teach alongside

Comparing options

Homeschool testing and credit

More guides: US state math tests by state · US gifted and selective school tests · US math placement and college readiness tests · US math and coding competitions guide

Start here

Book a free first class

Tell us the Beast Academy level and unit, and send a photo of a problem that beat your child this week. The teacher will start there.

See how our teachers guide a lesson, or browse every course we teach.

WhatsApp us · +91 91233 66161 · connect@modernagecoders.com

Our teachers work from India and teach American children live, at hours that fit school evenings and weekend mornings across the US. WhatsApp reaches us fastest.

The first class costs nothing and needs no card.

Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo

A priority demo is a full class of about 45 to 60 minutes. After the class the mentor sends a written skill report and a personal learning roadmap on WhatsApp. If you enrol, the demo fee is adjusted against your first month's fee. Share your demo Order ID with us on WhatsApp and we take it off.

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