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All tests/Reasoning/Numerical reasoning
REASONING · DATA INTERPRETATION

Numerical reasoning, read the table first.

The test employers use to see whether you can pull the right numbers out of a table or chart and do the right sum with them, quickly. Practise on one realistic dataset, with a worked answer for every question.

Start the 10-minute testLearn the six question types
Revenue by region (£000s)Sample data
NorthSouthEastWest
Q: By what percentage did North's revenue grow from Q1 to Q4? (165 − 120) ÷ 120 = 37.5%

What is a numerical reasoning test?

A numerical reasoning test is a timed aptitude test where you answer multiple-choice questions using data from tables and charts. It checks whether you can find the relevant figures and apply everyday maths (percentages, ratios, averages and conversions) under time pressure. It tests reasoning with numbers, not advanced mathematics, and a calculator is usually allowed.

By What's Your IQ · Published 3 Oct 2026 · Updated 3 Oct 2026
Format
Multiple choice, 4–5 options
Data
Tables, bar and line charts
Typical length
20–40 Qs in 20–30 min
Maths level
School arithmetic
Calculator
Usually allowed online
This test
10 Qs, 10 min, free

The six question types

Almost every item is one of these, or two chained together.
PERCENTAGE CHANGE

How much did something rise or fall, in percent?

The single most common item. Always divide the change by the starting value.

EXAMPLESales rise from £80k to £92k. What is the percentage increase?
Common trap:dividing by the new value (12 ÷ 92 = 13%) instead of the old one.

The formula sheet

Percentage change(new − old) ÷ old × 100Positive = increase, negative = decrease.
Percentage of totalpart ÷ total × 100Find the true total first.
Ratio A : BA ÷ B, then simplifyKeep the order the question gives.
Per unittotal ÷ unitsCheck the units in headings.
Apply growthvalue × (1 + r)r as a decimal: 10% → 0.10
Reverse percentagefinal ÷ (1 + r)Undo a rise by dividing, never subtracting.

Take the test

10 questions · one dataset · 10 minutes · calculator allowed
Ten questions, one company's figures.The data stays on screen the whole time. Use a calculator or scrap paper, as you would in the real thing. You can skip and come back. The clock runs for 10 minutes; unanswered questions count as wrong.
INSIDE YOUR HEAD

Which parts of the brain a numerical item uses

One question recruits a chain of regions: visual areas read the digits, parietal cortex handles quantity, frontal cortex holds the figures and plans the steps. Step through a single item to see the chain.

SOLVING: "(165 − 120) ÷ 120"
Occipital lobeTemporal lobeParietal lobeFrontal lobe
OCCIPITAL AND TEMPORAL LOBE

Visual cortex & inferior temporal gyrus

Visual areas recognise the shapes of digits and chart bars. A patch of the inferior temporal gyrus responds more strongly to numerals than to letters or similar shapes.

IN THIS TESTScanning the table and recognising 165 and 120 in the right cells.
EVIDENCEShum et al., 2013, Journal of Neuroscience [5]
Simplified: brain imaging shows networks working together, not single regions doing single jobs. Region roles follow the triple-code model of number processing and fMRI meta-analyses of calculation.

Numerical reasoning by the numbers

0.31Validity of cognitive ability tests for job performanceA 2022 re-analysis lowered the long-cited 0.51 estimate, but ability tests remain among the stronger single predictors.
[6]Sackett et al., 2022
0.51The classic estimate it replacedSchmidt and Hunter's 1998 synthesis of 85 years of selection research made ability tests a hiring staple.
[7]Schmidt & Hunter, 1998
~0.26 SDAverage score gain on a retestSimply retaking a cognitive ability test raises scores by about a quarter of a standard deviation.
[8]Hausknecht et al., 2007
3Parietal circuits for numberQuantity (intraparietal sulcus), verbal facts (angular gyrus) and attention (posterior superior parietal).
[1]Dehaene et al., 2003
93Imaging studies pooled on number and calculationA meta-analysis found calculation reliably engages parietal and prefrontal regions across studies.
[2]Arsalidou & Taylor, 2011
↓ WMMaths anxiety eats working memoryWorry competes for the same working-memory resources calculation needs, so anxious test-takers underperform their ability.
[4]Ashcraft, 2002
PACING

About 45 seconds a question

Most real tests give 30–60 seconds per item. Spend the first few seconds finding the right row and column; the maths is usually the quick part.

10s
10s
15s
10s
Find the dataLocate row, column and unitsSet upPick the formulaCalculateCalculator or estimateCheckSense-check against options

Numerical reasoning, explained

1

What does a numerical reasoning test measure?

Your ability to find and use the right numbers quickly.It combines reading data (tables, bar charts, line graphs) with basic arithmetic: percentages, ratios, averages and conversions. Speed and accuracy under time pressure are what separate scores.

2

Is numerical reasoning hard?

The maths is GCSE-level; the difficulty is time and distraction.Most items use school arithmetic. What makes them hard is picking the right figures from busy tables, multi-step chains, and answer options built around common mistakes.

3

Can I use a calculator?

Usually yes, for online tests.Most online employer tests allow a calculator; some in-person or verbal-numerical tests don't. Practise both: estimation is often faster than typing, and it catches calculator slips.

4

How do I prepare for a numerical reasoning test?

Learn the six question types, then practise timed.Memorise the formula sheet, practise reading tables fast, and take timed sets. Review every wrong answer to see whether the error was reading, setup or arithmetic.

5

What is a good score?

Above the 50th percentile against your comparison group.Employers compare you with a norm group, such as graduates or managers, not a fixed pass mark. Many shortlist around the 40th to 60th percentile, varying by role and employer.

6

Who uses numerical reasoning tests?

Banks, consultancies, accountancy firms and graduate schemes.They're standard in finance, consulting, analytics and civil-service selection, and appear in many general graduate assessment centres.

References

Numbers in brackets match the figures above. Our methodology
  1. Dehaene, S., Piazza, M., Pinel, P., & Cohen, L. (2003). Three parietal circuits for number processing. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 20(3–6), 487–506.
  2. Arsalidou, M., & Taylor, M. J. (2011). Is 2+2=4? Meta-analyses of brain areas needed for numbers and calculations. NeuroImage, 54(3), 2382–2393.
  3. Grabner, R. H., et al. (2009). To retrieve or to calculate? Left angular gyrus mediates the retrieval of arithmetic facts during problem solving. Neuropsychologia, 47(2), 604–608.
  4. Ashcraft, M. H. (2002). Math anxiety: Personal, educational, and cognitive consequences. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(5), 181–185.
  5. Shum, J., et al. (2013). A brain area for visual numerals. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(16), 6709–6715.
  6. Sackett, P. R., Zhang, C., Berry, C. M., & Lievens, F. (2022). Revisiting meta-analytic estimates of validity in personnel selection. Journal of Applied Psychology, 107(11), 2040–2068.
  7. Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology. Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 262–274.
  8. Hausknecht, J. P., et al. (2007). Retesting in selection: A meta-analysis of coaching and practice effects for tests of cognitive ability. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(2), 373–385.

Usually tested alongside

30 minVerbal reasoningRead a short passage and judge each statement true, false or cannot say from the text alone.Why it pairs:Almost every employer battery that has a numerical test pairs it with verbal; together they cover reading data and reading text.Try verbal reasoning35 minLogical reasoningFind the rule in sequences of shapes or symbols and pick what comes next, with no numbers or words.Why it pairs:It measures the same rule-finding you use to set up a numerical item, without the arithmetic.Try logical reasoning25 minDiagrammatic reasoningFollow inputs through flowcharts of operators and work out what each symbol does.Why it pairs:Common in technical, engineering and IT roles alongside numerical tests.Try diagrammatic reasoning20 minError checkingCompare two versions of data or text and spot every mismatch, fast.Why it pairs:Finance and admin roles use it to check the accuracy that numerical tests assume.Try error checking

Sample data and questions written for practice; real employer tests use their own datasets and norms.