Numerical Reasoning Employment Tests Guide

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Numerical reasoning employment tests measure how well you work with numbers, tables, charts, and short quantitative problems under time pressure. They are a skill family used inside many publisher batteries, not one universal exam with a single question count, time limit, or pass mark.

You may meet numerical reasoning inside SHL-style data interpretation sets, Aon or Saville batteries, Criteria or Wonderlic mixed cognitive screens, or other employer-configured assessments. Always confirm the named product, calculator rule, and timing on your invitation. This page sits under the Cognitive Aptitude Tests hub.

The practice questions later on this page are original numerical-reasoning study items. They are not official publisher questions and do not reproduce a proprietary form.

Key Takeaway

Numerical reasoning formats vary by provider. Treat percentages, ratios, tables, and rates as common possibilities, not mandatory modules on every test.

What Numerical Reasoning Usually Involves

Publishers often sample from skills such as percentages, ratios, proportions, averages, rates, basic arithmetic, number series, and data interpretation from tables or charts. Some batteries emphasize business calculations. Others emphasize pure reasoning with limited calculation.

This page is not a verbal reasoning guide, not an abstract reasoning guide, and not a named product page such as CCAT or Wonderlic.

What Varies by Provider

Provider-dependent numerical reasoning features

Feature	What to verify
Length and timing	No universal question count or minutes-per-item rule
Calculator policy	Allowed, restricted, or forbidden depending on the assessment
Item styles	Tables, charts, word problems, series, or mixed formats
Scoring	Raw counts, scaled scores, or percentiles depending on the publisher report
Negative marking	Not universal; follow live instructions

Do not memorize one commercial prep site’s timing as if every employer used the same numerical module.

Calculator Discipline

Some assessments ban calculators. Others allow on-screen tools or basic calculators. Scratch paper availability also varies, especially in remote proctoring. Confirm the rule in your candidate instructions before you practice with or without a calculator.

Scoring Caution

A practice percentage is not an official publisher percentile. Employers set cutoffs or comparison rules for their process. There is no single public universal numerical-reasoning pass score.

Optional Third-Party Practice

After you know which assessment family your invitation names, broader numerical drills can help with transferable calculation and data-reading speed. Compare coverage with official instructions before purchasing. Free samples on commercial sites do not always mean the full product is free.

JobTestPrep numerical reasoning practice is a third-party option for broad employment-style numerical drills. It is not an official publisher simulation and does not guarantee an employer outcome.

Free Numerical Reasoning Practice Questions

Answer each question before reading the explanation.

Question 1: Percentage of a Number

What is 25% of 160?

• A. 30
• B. 35
• C. 40
• D. 45

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: C. 40

25% is the same as one quarter.

160 ÷ 4 = 40

So 25% of 160 is 40.

Question 2: Discount

A product costs $80 after a 20% discount. What was the original price?

• A. $90
• B. $96
• C. $100
• D. $120

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: C. $100

A 20% discount means the customer paid 80% of the original price.

80 = 0.80 × original price
80 ÷ 0.80 = 100

The original price was $100.

Question 3: Percentage Increase

A department had 60 employees. The number increased by 25%. How many employees are there now?

• A. 70
• B. 72
• C. 75
• D. 80

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: C. 75

25% of 60 is:

60 ÷ 4 = 15

Add the increase:

60 + 15 = 75

There are now 75 employees.

Question 4: Rate

A team completes 72 reports in 9 hours. At the same rate, how many reports can the team complete in 5 hours?

• A. 35
• B. 40
• C. 45
• D. 50

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: B. 40

First find the hourly rate:

72 ÷ 9 = 8 reports per hour

Then multiply by 5 hours:

8 × 5 = 40

The team can complete 40 reports.

Question 5: Average

The scores of four candidates are 18, 22, 24 and 28. What is the average score?

• A. 21
• B. 22
• C. 23
• D. 24

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: C. 23

Add the scores:

18 + 22 + 24 + 28 = 92

Divide by 4:

92 ÷ 4 = 23

The average score is 23.

Question 6: Ratio

A team has 3 analysts for every 2 managers. If the team has 20 people total, how many are analysts?

• A. 8
• B. 10
• C. 12
• D. 15

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: C. 12

The ratio is:

3 analysts : 2 managers

Total ratio parts:

3 + 2 = 5

Each part is:

20 ÷ 5 = 4

Analysts:

3 × 4 = 12

There are 12 analysts.

Question 7: Fraction

What is 3/5 of 200?

• A. 80
• B. 100
• C. 120
• D. 150

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: C. 120

Calculate:

200 ÷ 5 = 40
40 × 3 = 120

So 3/5 of 200 is 120.

Question 8: Number Series

Find the next number:

4, 8, 16, 32, ?

• A. 40
• B. 48
• C. 60
• D. 64

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: D. 64

Each number doubles:

4 × 2 = 8
8 × 2 = 16
16 × 2 = 32
32 × 2 = 64

The next number is 64.

Question 9: Increasing Difference

Find the next number:

5, 9, 17, 33, ?

• A. 49
• B. 57
• C. 65
• D. 71

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: C. 65

The differences double:

5 to 9 = +4
9 to 17 = +8
17 to 33 = +16
33 to 65 = +32

The next number is 65.

Question 10: Word Problem

A machine produces 210 parts in 7 hours. How many parts does it produce per hour?

• A. 25
• B. 28
• C. 30
• D. 35

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: C. 30

Use the rate formula:

rate = total ÷ time
210 ÷ 7 = 30

The machine produces 30 parts per hour.

Question 11: Table Interpretation

A store sold the following units:

Monday: 120
Tuesday: 150
Wednesday: 180
Thursday: 150

What was the average number of units sold per day?

• A. 140
• B. 145
• C. 150
• D. 155

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: C. 150

Add the units:

120 + 150 + 180 + 150 = 600

Divide by 4 days:

600 ÷ 4 = 150

The average is 150 units per day.

Question 12: Chart-Style Comparison

Product A increased from 200 sales to 250 sales. What was the percentage increase?

• A. 20%
• B. 25%
• C. 30%
• D. 50%

Answer and Explanation

Correct answer: B. 25%

Find the difference:

250 - 200 = 50

Divide by the original value:

50 ÷ 200 = 0.25

Convert to percentage:

0.25 × 100 = 25%

The percentage increase is 25%.

Numerical Reasoning Answer Key

Question	Skill Tested	Correct Answer
1	Percentage	C
2	Discount	C
3	Percentage increase	C
4	Rate	B
5	Average	C
6	Ratio	C
7	Fraction	C
8	Number series	D
9	Increasing difference	C
10	Word problem	C
11	Table interpretation	C
12	Percentage increase	B

How to Practice Numerical Reasoning Well

Identify whether errors come from arithmetic, misreading a table, unit mistakes, or pace. Estimate before calculating when the format allows it. Rebuild weak topics with short mixed sets rather than only untimed textbook drills.

For ranked-response or work-style sections, assessment test preparation may also be useful when you need extra drills under time pressure.

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