More How to Win at Aptitude Tests. Liam Healy

minutes

      Used for: Intermediate/higher level

      Frequency of use: Not that common in this ‘pure’ form but items of this type crop up from time to time.

      This test contains a set of number series, arranged in pairs with two numbers in each square. In this test your task is to look at the number in the top left diagonal of the square and work out how it relates to the number in the bottom right diagonal of the same square. There are five squares in each set and they all share the same rule for relating the top number to the bottom number. Occasionally you may come across a version of this test that asks you to identify the odd one out, rather than the next in the sequence. With this type of test, the principle and method of solving the question are identical.

      When you have worked out what the rule is, you should be able to work out the missing number. Give yourself 25 minutes.

      1

      a) 6

      b) 7

      c) 8

      d) 9

      2

      a) 9

      b) 10

      c) 12

      d) 14

      3

      a) 5

      b) 6

      c) 4

      d) 3

      4

      a) 4

      b) 5

      c) 6

      d) 8

      5

      b) 16

      b) 18

      c) 19

      d) 20

      6

      a) 24

      b) 19

      c) 21

      d) 25

      7

      a) 18

      b) 20

      c) 24

      d) 26

      8

      a) 14

      b) 16

      c) 17

      d) 18

      9

      a) 10

      b) 15

      c) 25

      d) 50

      10

      a) 7

      b) 8

      c) 9

      d) 12

      11

      a) 27

      b) 29

      c) 33

      d) 35

      12

      a) 19

      b) 21

      c) 22

      d) 25

      13

      a) 15

      b) 11

      c) 9

      d) 7

      14

      a) 50

      b) 55

      c) 65

      d) 75

      15

      a) 250

      b) 400

      c) 450

      d) 1240

      16

      a) 15

      b) 18

      c) 24

      d) 30

      17

      a) −2

      b) 0

      c) 5

      d) 40

      18

      a) 3

      b) 5

      c) 4

      d) 6

      19

      a) 6

      b) 8

      c) 10

      d) 12

      20

      a) 0

      b) 1

      c) 81

      d) 90

      Numerical Tests 8 (Numerical Problem Solving)

      These types of test are very commonly used in graduate and managerial selection, not least because they ask the test taker to apply their skills to deal with realistic problems in contexts that are expressly designed to approximate what actually happens in the workplace.

      This test is almost a work sample. Pay particular attention to the fact that it requires no specialist financial or related knowledge. It samples the activities typically carried out by someone working with numerical information at a higher level, but does not need any more than a basic understanding of