Numerical reasoning tests measure your ability to interpret and analyse numerical data, tables, graphs, and charts, under time pressure. Used by 75% of Fortune 500 companies.
Numerical reasoning tests are the most widely used pre-employment assessment. Unlike maths tests, they don't require advanced calculations. Instead, they test your ability to extract relevant information from data and apply basic arithmetic under time pressure. The key challenge is speed: most candidates know how to do the maths, but struggle to complete all questions in time.
Understanding the different formats helps you prepare more efficiently.
Extract specific values from data tables and perform calculations. The most common format, typically 40% of questions.
Read bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, and scatter plots. Requires identifying trends and comparing values.
Calculate percentage changes, percentage of totals, and ratios between values. Essential for finance and consulting roles.
Convert between currencies or units using provided exchange rates. Common in international company assessments.
Approximate answers quickly without exact calculation. Used in tests with very tight time limits (e.g., cut-e).
Try these example questions to get a feel for the format. Click "Show Answer" to see the explanation.
A company's revenue in Q1 was £2.4 million. In Q2, revenue increased by 15%. In Q3, it decreased by 8% from Q2. What was the revenue in Q3?
From the table: Department A has 45 employees, Department B has 60, Department C has 30. If 20% of Department B employees transfer to Department A, what percentage of total employees does Department A now represent?
Sales grew from £180,000 to £243,000 over 3 years. What was the approximate annual compound growth rate?
Proven techniques to maximise your Numerical Reasoning score.
Read the question first, then look at the data. Many candidates waste time reading all the data before knowing what they need.
Use rough estimates to eliminate 2-3 answer options before calculating precisely. This saves 30-40% of calculation time.
10% = divide by 10. 5% = half of 10%. 15% = 10% + 5%. 25% = divide by 4. These shortcuts are faster than multiplying by decimals.
Many errors come from mixing units (thousands vs millions, £ vs $). Always check the column headers and footnotes.
The biggest differentiator is speed. Practice with a timer. Aim to spend no more than 75 seconds per question.
If a question takes more than 90 seconds, mark it and move on. Return at the end. Leaving easy questions unanswered to spend time on hard ones is a common mistake.
Everything you need to know about Numerical Reasoning tests.
Verbal reasoning tests assess your ability to understand written information and draw logical conclusions. The True/False/Cannot Say format trips up even strong readers.
Logical reasoning tests measure abstract thinking and pattern recognition, the ability to identify rules in sequences of shapes, symbols, and diagrams without language or numbers.
Psychometric tests are the umbrella term for all standardised assessments used in recruitment, covering aptitude tests, personality questionnaires, and situational judgement tests.