Numerical Reasoning Tests

[Sudden]

Are these online or in the office?

I'm not great with maths, but what I found really helpful, and consequently ended up doing quite well in them, was writing down equations on a piece of paper and keeping it near me.

For instance, a lot of those tests are calculating percentage increases. Have something simple written down which tells you how to calculate the difference. If you need to calculate the percentage increase between A and B, just write down "Percentage increase from A to B = (B-A)/A * 100.

Do a lot of the practice ones and the more you do, you seen similar type of questions coming up. Percentages were very common. Write down anything you think comes up a lot so that as soon as you figure out what it is you need, you can just look at that sheet, input the numbers, and get the answer.

What they often do is try and trip you up with decimal points (millions vs thousands etc.) so keep an eye on that.

I bought a set of practice ones here http://www.assessmentday.co.uk/ and found them helpful.

 

[sports_brah]

I work in finance which is heavily orientated (as you'd expect) towards figures. I still hated the numerical tests.

They're not easy and they're definitely not fun. I made the mistake for a long time of just trying them for the lulz which worked half the time and not the other half.

When you boil down to it, there's only a few real topics they ask (probability, comprehension of numbers etc etc, so if you get real good at knowing basic formula's, you'll be fine.


Or just get someone else to do it for you.

 

[dowie]

I've studied law at undergrad and postgrad... I don't think I've ever needed to use even basic maths throughout that time. It's perfectly possible to get a good degree without needing mathematical ability.

I guess it depends what you consider to be a 'good' degree then.

Arbitrary time limits on mathematical equationing are a con. Do you think Einstein watched the clock as he devised his proofs? No, he took the amount of time it took to get the job done.

That's nice in academia... OP is looking for real world jobs - perhaps there are specific time constraints or other reasons for a timed test to be useful... it maybe that ability in these tests is linked with performance in particular roles alternatively it could quite feasibly be that the tests are irrelevant but some numpty in HR has decided they're a good thing they ought to do - regardless of the merits or lack of them its still a hoop the OP has to jump through.

My question is, without resitting all of my GCSE stuff, is there a dedicated resource available specifically focussed on these numerical tests we come across when applying for jobs?

Yes there probably are... though you're being a bit vague - I'm not saying I can give any more specific advice but someone else perhaps could if you perhaps provided more detail - i.e. what career are you pursuing and what are the tests like? Someone else here might be in that career and might have sat similar tests....

For example for some trading firms quick arithmetic questions and mental maths questions are asked in the first stages... say a written test with 80 questions in 8 minutes - you can make up a mock test in an excel spreadsheet using a bit of VBA and just practice... For the mental questions where they throw say 1045 * 83 at you then give you 10 seconds to answer you can use a few tricks but also just practice...

Basically you're going to have to practice...

If you're asked brainteasers then brushing up on probability theory is worthwhile.

 

[TFleming]

Thanks for the replies guys.

The latest test was given through applying for a job at ABF. The job roles I've been applying for are in various fields of business management schemes/supply chain/operations/IT. Practically any grad scheme in most areas require you to sit a test, I believe.

Funnily enough I have a decent amount of experience in fairly difficult data analysis at a blue chip. But in that I was trained in the maths I needed to do, so it was just a rinse and repeat case. I can do some of the harder stuff but struggle with the simple stuff . Sounds paradoxical, but there you go.

Giving up isn't an option. I know I would be good in the roles I'm applying for, and I didn't try so hard in my degree to give up on some pre screening numerical test...

The type of questions are generally, you're presented with a graph or two with lots of information on it (not all relevant to the question asked) then you're asked to get find an answer which requires isolating the relevant info and doing several calculations (which is where I struggle in terms of time limit). Or you can be presented with something which resembles a riddle and you have to convert etc. E.g:

A baker filled a measuring cup with ¾ cup water. He poured ½ of the water into the batter, and then spilled 1/8 of the water on the floor. How much water will the baker need to add to what is left in the cup to have 50% more than what he started with?


a. 1/8 cup b. 3/8 cup c. ¼ cup d. ½ cup e. 7/8 cup

That's one of the easier ones whith less to do as it's on the example questions, and they're way easier for some reason. You get scored on accuracy and speed for each question, and it's the speed which really drags me down. I'm obviously missing quick ways to do it, because you get around 1min20~ per question.

I'll try do some reading and make some sort of pack which I can learn from if there isn't anything online, I guess.

 

[MisChief]

Lots of practice. Skip the ones that take too long and answer as many of the 'easier' ones as you can before going back to the hard ones.

I had to sit a 65 min/60 questions test to get an interview for my job, but mine wasn't just numerical, it was logical based reasoning as well.

 

[Strife212]

I guess it depends what you consider to be a 'good' degree then.

Apparently law from a top University isn't 'good'.

 

[dowie]

The job roles I've been applying for are in various fields of business management schemes/supply chain/operations/IT. Practically any grad scheme in most areas require you to sit a test, I believe.

OK unrelated to the numerical tests - just a general tip... pick an area that you're actually passionate about and pursue it, while you might fall into a job you love through applying to random grad schemes covering all sorts of different areas its more likely you won't. Its much easier to succeed and do well in an area you are genuinely enthusiastic about.

The example question you've given isn't too bad...

plenty of basic puzzels like that one here:

http://www.mathsisfun.com/puzzles/measuring-puzzles-index.html

some logic ones too

http://www.mathsisfun.com/puzzles/logic-puzzles-index.html

 

[dowie]

And we've got a bite

 

[dowie]

Jeeze it was just banter... don't take yourself too seriously.

 

[Nash]

Maybe if you'd studied a better degree yourself, Dowie, you'd have a better retort than "it's banter".

 

[atpbx]

I've found these tests are not usually about answering all the questions, but how you approach answering the questions when there isn't enough time to answer them all.

 

[SPG]

I'm assuming you're one of the people with a hard on for STEM subjects? You're frankly an idiot if you don't think degrees in subjects without mathematical content can be good. People get very good degrees in law, English, history and so forth... even sociology and foreign languages, which people love to deride... then you get people who get very bad degrees in STEM subjects where the courses weren't rigorous enough and had to be taught at a relatively low level because of the ability of the intake.

Is there such a thing as a "very good degree" in law, history or English ?

 

[BunnyKillBot]

A baker filled a measuring cup with ¾ cup water. He poured ½ of the water into the batter, and then spilled 1/8 of the water on the floor. How much water will the baker need to add to what is left in the cup to have 50% more than what he started with?


a. 1/8 cup b. 3/8 cup c. ¼ cup d. ½ cup e. 7/8 cup

Question is fail. He started with an empty cup. You try doing 50% of zero in less than a minute. Compiler error

 

[thecremeegg]

Jeeze it was just banter... don't take yourself too seriously.

The classic response...."banter"....for when you can't think of a decent excuse for your stupidity

 

[KingOfTheDaves]

Most politicians have law degrees and most politicians are bad. Therefore people with law degrees are also bad.

Permission to say lawyered.

 

[dowie]

Maybe if you'd studied a better degree yourself, Dowie, you'd have a better retort than "it's banter".

It wasn't a retort... was slightly surprised that someone would still be seemingly peeved after being told it was a joke.

 

[dowie]

The classic response...."banter"....for when you can't think of a decent excuse for your stupidity

Ah you've got me, I was being completely serious....

Some people really are a bit sensitive/insecure.

 

[Hagar]

Question is fail. A 50% increase on 3/4 is 9/8. The cup cannot contain 1/8 more than its full capacity. Hence engineers live in the real world, and mathematicians live up their own backsides.

Answer is 1/2 cup

1/2 of 3/4 is 3/8 he loses 1/8 therefore 4/8 or 1/2 cup used, 1/4 or 2/8 left in cup, 150% of 3/4 is 1 and 1/8, 1 and 1/8 less 1/2 cup and 2/8 cup remaining = 4/8 = 1/2 cup

 

[Judgeneo]

A baker filled a measuring cup with ¾ cup water. He poured ½ of the water into the batter, and then spilled 1/8 of the water on the floor. How much water will the baker need to add to what is left in the cup to have 50% more than what he started with?


a. 1/8 cup b. 3/8 cup c. ¼ cup d. ½ cup e. 7/8 cup

Answer is 1/2 cup

1/2 of 3/4 is 3/8 he loses 1/8 therefore 4/8 or 1/2 cup used, 1/4 or 2/8 left in cup, 150% of 3/4 is 1 and 1/8, 1 and 1/8 less 1/2 cup and 2/8 cup remaining = 4/8 = 1/2 cup

You did the final step wrong... You shouldn't have taken away a random 1/2 cup, and even if you did do that 9/8 - 4/8 - 2/8 = 3/8, not 4/8 like you said.

Start 3/4 (6/8)
Spill half of that
6/8 *0.5 = 3/8
Spill 1/8
3/8 -1/8 = 2/8
Need 50% more than started with i.e. 6/8 *1.5 = 9/8

9/8 - 2/8 = 7/8

The difficulty in this question was the mixing of fraction denominator, the varying use of absolute measurements and relative measurements, and the mixing of percentages and fractions.
Read the question carefully and answer it in short steps like I did above. The actual maths is trivial, its the wording that is meant to catch you out.

 

[Semple]

As you've already noticed, pretty much every grad job will require you to do these. Only workaround is to not go into a grad scheme. Plenty of large blue chip companies still recruit this way and for the same salary, although more focused on a specific role rather than a scheme of roles.

There are a number of practice sites - can't remember off the top of my head which ones i've used in the past. But you'll just have to keep practising.