Sample Numerical Ability Questions

Numerical ability questions test your ability to perform tasks involving numbers. The questions range from simple arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication or division to questions about number sequences. The test may also include applied mathematical questions mirroring on the job situations. Some tests incorporate data interpretation questions which test your ability to understand and interpret numerical information presented as tables, diagrams, and graphs.

The duration of any numerical ability test you are asked to take will depend on several factors including how many other tests you are taking on the day. However, most tests last about 30-40 minutes and have about 30-40 questions.

The sample numerical ability questions available here are split into four separate downloads. This is because these are practice papers which are designed to help you practice answering questions. They do not represent ‘real’ tests in the sense that any tests you are given will have questions of different types and fewer questions of each type .

Sample Numerical Ability Questions - Computation
These sample questions involve the basic principles of arithmetic like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They also use mathematical terms and methods such as percentages, ratios, fractions and decimals. To score well on these questions you will simply need to make quick and accurate calculations.

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Sample Numerical Ability Questions - Estimation
These sample questions require you to make quick estimates of the answers to fairly straightforward numerical questions. Numerical estimation is key in many technical jobs where you need to quickly and accurately make estimates of material quantities etc. It is important to remember that you do not have time to actually calculate these answers because this will take up too much time and prevent you from answering enough questions to get a good score. Remember, to score well on these questions you will need to make quick approximations of the answer and avoid the trap of working out the answer exactly.  

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Sample Numerical Ability Questions - Reasoning
In these sample questions, the emphasis is on your reasoning ability rather than your ability to do calculations. In other words, you need to work out how to get the answer rather than simply being told what calculations to apply. Numerical reasoning questions invariably include some number series questions where you need to work out which number or numbers are missing from the series. They also include text based questions where a mathematical problem is posed in words and your task is to apply the appropriate logic to answer the question.

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Sample Numerical Ability Questions – Data Interpretation
In these sample questions, you need to interpret data presented in tables, graphs and charts. If you are applying for a job which involves the analysis of data, or one where you need to make decisions based on numerical data then you can expect to have to answer this type of question. The questions will often use very specific illustrations, for example the question may present financial data or use information technology jargon. However, an understanding of these areas is not required to answer the question.

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