diff --git a/reasoning_gym/algorithmic/binary_matrix.py b/reasoning_gym/algorithmic/binary_matrix.py
index c3a09086..509b8042 100644
--- a/reasoning_gym/algorithmic/binary_matrix.py
+++ b/reasoning_gym/algorithmic/binary_matrix.py
@@ -115,22 +115,18 @@ class BinaryMatrixDataset(ProceduralDataset):
     def score_answer(self, answer: Optional[str], entry: Dict[str, any]) -> float:
         """Overwrite this method in derived classes if a single oracle answer is not available."""
         oracle_answer = entry["answer"]
-        reward = 0.0
         if answer is not None:
             if answer == oracle_answer:
-                reward = 1.0
+                return 1.0
             else:
                 try:
                     # check if answer is python list of lists
                     answer = self._matrix_to_str(eval(answer))
                     if answer == oracle_answer:
-                        reward = 0.5
-                    else:
-                        reward = 0.01
+                        return 0.5
                 except Exception as e:
-                    reward = 0.01
-
-        return reward
+                    return 0.01
+        return 0.0
 
     def __getitem__(self, idx: int) -> dict:
         """Generate a single Binary Matrix question"""
diff --git a/tests/test_binary_matrix.py b/tests/test_binary_matrix.py
index d62db4a3..1f215cf6 100644
--- a/tests/test_binary_matrix.py
+++ b/tests/test_binary_matrix.py
@@ -106,3 +106,18 @@ def test_binary_matrix_answer():
     # Empty matrix
     matrix = [[0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0]]
     assert dataset._get_distances(matrix) == [[0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0]]
+
+    # String representation of answer
+    answer = "0 0 0\n0 1 0\n1 2 1"
+    entry = {"answer": "0 0 0\n0 1 0\n1 2 1"}
+    assert dataset.score_answer(answer, entry) == 1.0
+
+    # Answer is a python list (partially correct answer)
+    answer = "[[0, 0, 0], [0, 1, 0], [1, 2, 1]]"
+    entry = {"answer": "0 0 0\n0 1 0\n1 2 1"}
+    assert dataset.score_answer(answer, entry) == 0.5
+
+    # Answer is null
+    answer = None
+    entry = {"answer": "0 0 0\n0 1 0\n1 2 1"}
+    assert dataset.score_answer(answer, entry) == 0.0
\ No newline at end of file