diff --git a/reasoning_gym/arithmetic/chain_sum.py b/reasoning_gym/arithmetic/chain_sum.py
index 2072983c..8464068f 100644
--- a/reasoning_gym/arithmetic/chain_sum.py
+++ b/reasoning_gym/arithmetic/chain_sum.py
@@ -110,9 +110,6 @@ def _generate_task(self, rng: random.Random, num_terms: int, min_value: int, max
         expression = " ".join(expression_parts)
         return expression, result
 
-    def score_answer(self, answer: Optional[str], entry: dict[str, Any]) -> float:
-        return utils.compute_decimal_reward(answer, oracle_answer=entry["answer"])
-
 
 class ChainSumCurriculum(BaseCurriculum):
     def __init__(self):
diff --git a/reasoning_gym/dataset.py b/reasoning_gym/dataset.py
index 17bb00e4..d727c863 100644
--- a/reasoning_gym/dataset.py
+++ b/reasoning_gym/dataset.py
@@ -62,10 +62,9 @@ def __getitem__(self, idx: int) -> dict[str, Any]:
 
     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"].strip()
+        oracle_answer = entry["answer"]
         reward = 0.0
-        if answer is not None and len(answer) > 0:
-            answer = answer.strip()
+        if isinstance(answer, str) and len(answer) > 0:
             if answer == oracle_answer:
                 reward = 1.0
             elif oracle_answer in answer:
diff --git a/reasoning_gym/utils.py b/reasoning_gym/utils.py
index 70d4a343..33b4fe35 100644
--- a/reasoning_gym/utils.py
+++ b/reasoning_gym/utils.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 }
 
 
-def extract_answer(completion: str, tag_name: str = "answer") -> Optional[str]:
+def extract_answer(completion: str, tag_name: str = "answer", strip: bool = True) -> Optional[str]:
     regex = f"<{tag_name}>\\s?(.*?)\\s?</{tag_name}>"
     matches = list(
         re.finditer(
@@ -30,7 +30,10 @@ def extract_answer(completion: str, tag_name: str = "answer") -> Optional[str]:
     )
     if not matches:
         return None
-    return matches[-1].group(1)
+    answer = matches[-1].group(1)
+    if strip:
+        answer = answer.strip()
+    return answer
 
 
 def format_number(num: Union[int, float], max_decimals: int = 2) -> str:
diff --git a/tests/test_dataset.py b/tests/test_dataset.py
index f321ad2a..56c89593 100644
--- a/tests/test_dataset.py
+++ b/tests/test_dataset.py
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ def test_reseeding_dataset_iteration():
 def test_extract_answer():
     assert extract_answer("This is a text. <final_answer>1234</final_answer>", tag_name="final_answer") == "1234"
 
-    # ignore single whitespae
-    assert extract_answer("This is a text. <answer>\n1234 </answer>", tag_name="answer") == "1234"
+    # ignore whitespaces
+    assert extract_answer("This is a text. <answer>\n1234 </answer>", tag_name="answer", strip=True) == "1234"
 
     config = BasicArithmeticDatasetConfig(
         min_terms=2, max_terms=3, min_digits=1, max_digits=2, operators=["+"], allow_parentheses=False, seed=42, size=10