Numerical reasoning is the ability to use numbers to reach sound conclusions: reading data in tables and charts, picking out the figures that matter, and working out answers with percentages, ratios and averages. A numerical reasoning test measures this skill with timed, multiple choice questions based on workplace-style data. It tests how well you apply everyday maths, not how much advanced maths you know.
The quickest way to understand it is to try a free numerical reasoning test, which comes with a worked solution for every question.
What a numerical reasoning test looks like
Most numerical reasoning tests share the same shape:
- A set of data, such as a table of sales figures, a bar chart of staff numbers or a short business scenario.
- A question about that data, for example a percentage change, a comparison or a total.
- Four or five answer options, one of them correct. Some options are built from common mistakes.
- A time limit. Tests are usually tight on time, so speed matters as well as accuracy.
Several questions often share one set of data, so time spent understanding a table pays off more than once. Tests are almost always taken online. Some allow a calculator and some do not, so read the instructions before you start. Results are usually given as a percentile, which compares your score with a group of other candidates rather than marking you against a fixed pass mark.
What numerical reasoning measures
A numerical reasoning test checks whether you can:
- Find the right information in a table or chart that holds far more than the question needs.
- Choose the right calculation for the question being asked.
- Calculate accurately with percentages, ratios, rates and averages.
- Work under time pressure without losing accuracy.
- Sense check your answer against the data.
That is why the maths involved rarely goes beyond what most people learned by the age of sixteen. The challenge is reading carefully and working quickly. If you want to see how this differs from a school maths exam, our guide to the difference between maths and numeracy explains it.
Common question types
Most questions fall into a handful of types:
- Data interpretation: reading a table or chart and working out a figure from it. See our guide to what data interpretation is.
- Percentages and percentage change: increases, decreases and shares of a total. Our guide on how to calculate percentage increase covers the method.
- Ratios and proportions: splitting a total or comparing two quantities.
- Rates and conversions: revenue per employee, cost per unit, currency or unit conversions.
- Number sequences: finding the rule in a list of numbers.
For a set of questions across these types, see our numerical reasoning test examples.
A worked example
The table shows quarterly sales for three regions, in thousands of pounds.
| Region | Q1 (£000s) | Q2 (£000s) |
|---|---|---|
| North | 240 | 300 |
| South | 180 | 171 |
| East | 150 | 165 |
Question 1: Which region had the largest percentage growth in sales from Q1 to Q2?
- Identify the data you need: Q1 and Q2 for each region.
- Calculate each change as a percentage of the Q1 figure. North: (300 minus 240) ÷ 240 = 60 ÷ 240 = 25%. South: (171 minus 180) ÷ 180 = minus 9 ÷ 180, a fall of 5%. East: (165 minus 150) ÷ 150 = 15 ÷ 150 = 10%.
- Answer: North, with growth of 25%.
Notice that North also had the largest increase in pounds, but that will not always be true. A small region can grow faster in percentage terms than a large one, which is exactly the kind of trap these tests use.
Question 2: What share of total Q2 sales came from the East region, to one decimal place?
Total Q2 sales are 300 + 171 + 165 = 636, so £636,000. East’s share is 165 ÷ 636 = 0.2594…, which is 25.9%.
A five step method for any question
- Read the question first. Note exactly what it asks for: which period, which unit, which comparison.
- Find only the data you need. Ignore everything else in the table.
- Check the units. Thousands, millions, percentages and pounds are easy to mix up.
- Estimate, then calculate. A rough answer often rules out most of the options and catches slips.
- Sense check. Does the size of the answer fit the data?
How to prepare for a numerical reasoning test
- Practise little and often. Short, focused sessions beat occasional long ones.
- Practise under real conditions. Time yourself, work somewhere quiet and put your phone away.
- Find out about your test. The invitation email or the employer’s website often says which style of test you will sit and whether a calculator is allowed.
- Rebuild the basics. Percentages, ratios, fractions and averages underpin most questions.
- Keep an error log. For each mistake, note whether it was a maths slip, a misread table, a misunderstood question or running out of time. Then target the most common cause.
- Know when to move on. If a question is taking too long, rule out what you can, make your best choice and keep going.
- Look after yourself. Sleep well before the test, and leave enough time to set up somewhere you will not be interrupted.
Who uses numerical reasoning tests
Numerical reasoning tests are used for graduate schemes, finance and consulting roles, management roles and many others where staff work with reports, budgets or targets. They are not limited to jobs with “analyst” in the title. Any role that involves making decisions from figures may include one.
When you are ready, take a free numerical reasoning test under timed conditions and review the explanations for every question you get wrong.