2 HOW TO PASS NUMERICAL REASONING TESTS

Purpose of this workbook

This is a self-study modular workbook, and its purpose is to provide
you with the necessary skills to perform well in your numerical
reasoning test. There is no magic formula for improving your per-
formance in numerical reasoning tests; however, performance is
determined by a number of factors aside from basic intelligence.
Preparation plays a large part in determining your level of success,
and the secret is to practise as much as you can. If the last time you
had to work out a percentage increase was a decade ago, it is likely
that a quick reminder of the method will help you complete the
calculation within the time allowed in the test. This workbook
will explain these formulae to remind you how to complete such
calculations. Test preparation and good exam technique gives you
the confidence to estimate correct answers quickly. Method and
practice will help you to calculate correct answers swiftly. This
book will help you to prepare for your test by giving you plenty of
examples, practice questions and explanations.

What this workbook doesnt do

The content of this workbook is aimed at adult test-takers who want
to prepare to take a numerical reasoning test. It is assumed that you
dont necessarily want, or have time, to become a mathematician,
but you do want to relearn enough maths to help you to do well in
the test. This workbook is designed to help you to prepare the
required numeracy skills for the standardized aptitude tests currently
on the market. This workbook will not explain why mathematical
formulae work the way they do. Rather, it explains how to apply the
formula in a practical setting, in particular in the application of maths
in numeracy tests. It is likely that if you wanted to understand the
theory of maths, you would be already immersed in advanced level
maths books and wouldnt need this refresher course.
 INTRODUCTION 5

that lack of familiarity by providing you with the opportunity to refresh

your memory through plenty of practice drills and questions.

Types of question
There are a wide range of questions set in a test. There are also a
number of different ways you may be asked to answer the question.
Typical answer formats include calculation, multiple choice and
data sufficiency answers, where you are given pieces of information
and asked whether you have enough information to answer the
questions correctly. Chapters 1 to 5 require that you calculate
the answers to practice questions. The reason for the adoption of
this method is to ensure that you can work out correct answers
confidently, without resorting to a multiple guess technique. In
Chapter 6, Data interpretation, you are given a range of answers
from which to choose the correct one. The answer choices include
deliberate traps, rather like those the test-writers will set for you.
The accompanying explanations will help you to learn about these
traps and to help you to avoid them in the test.

Getting to the right answer

When you are asked to calculate an exact answer, calculate it. The
question will give you an indication of the level of precision that is
expected from you, for example, Give the answer to 3 decimal
places. If you are asked for this level of precision, usually you will
have a calculator to assist you.
If you are given a range of answers to choose from, do a quick
estimate of the correct answer first. Then eliminate all out-of-range
answers or the outliers. This technique reduces the likelihood of
choosing incorrectly under pressure and gives you a narrower range
of answers from which to choose the correct answer. Your estimate
may be accurate enough to choose the correct answer without
completing any additional calculations. This will save you time and
allow you to spend more time on difficult questions. Once you have
eliminated some answers from the multiple-choice range, you can
6 HOW TO PASS NUMERICAL REASONING TESTS

substitute in possible correct answers to the question and effec-

tively solve the question using the answer as the starting point.

Translating the language

Part of the difficulty of aptitude tests is in understanding exactly what
is being asked of you. Before you set off to answer a question, be
absolutely sure that you understand what you are being asked to
do. Think carefully whether you have enough information to translate
the question into an equation, or whether you need to complete an
interim step to provide you with enough information to answer the
question. If you are working with graphs and charts, read the labels
accompanying the diagrams to make sure you understand whether
you are being given percentages or actual values. Read the axis
label in case the axes are given in different values. Typically, once
you have translated the words, the maths becomes much easier.

Calculators
Many aptitude tests disallow the use of calculators, so you may as
well get into the habit of doing mental arithmetic without it. If you are
of the GCSE generation, maths without a calculator may seem
impossible: after all, calculators are a key tool in maths learning
today. However, all the examples and practice questions in this
book have been designed so that you can work out the correct
answer without the use of the calculator. Think of it as a positive.
Think of it this way: if you cant use a calculator in the test, the maths
cant be that hard, can it? If you set about the practice questions
and drills with your calculator, you will be wasting your test prepara-
tion time and practice material. By all means, check your answers
afterwards with your calculator, but get into the habit of sitting down
to take the test without it.

Test timings
Where timings are applied to the practice questions in this work-
book, do try to stick to the time allocated. One of the skills tested in