Numerical reasoning practice test 1

12 original questions with worked answers. Practise without a clock or use our optional 18-minute challenge.

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A calculator is allowed in this practice set. All prices, tax rates, exchange rates and workplace figures are hypothetical values supplied for the exercises. The optional timer and scoring are practice settings, not a claim about any employer's assessment.

  1. 1. A UK service team handled 1,200 tickets in April and 1,380 in May. What was the percentage increase?
    1. 12%
    2. 15%
    3. 18%
    4. 20%

    Reference: q-566e2fb1-101 · Report this question

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    Answer: B. 15%

    (1,380 − 1,200) / 1,200 × 100 = 15%. Use April, the original value, as the denominator.
  2. 2. A Canadian retailer lists a monitor at C$240 before tax. A 15% discount applies before 5% sales tax. What is the final price?
    1. C$204.00
    2. C$214.20
    3. C$216.00
    4. C$228.00

    Reference: q-a197f013-126 · Report this question

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    Answer: B. C$214.20

    Discounted price = 240 × 0.85 = C$204. Tax-inclusive price = 204 × 1.05 = C$214.20. The percentages apply sequentially to different bases.
  3. 3. An Australian warehouse dispatches 540 parcels in 6 hours using 3 equally productive packing lines. At the same rate, how many parcels can 4 lines dispatch in 5 hours?
    1. 450
    2. 600
    3. 648
    4. 720

    Reference: q-18a386fb-168 · Report this question

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    Answer: B. 600

    Each line processes 540 / (6 × 3) = 30 parcels per hour. Four lines in five hours process 30 × 4 × 5 = 600 parcels.
  4. 4. A supplier quotes US$12,500. The agreed conversion rate is US$1 = £0.80 and there are no fees. What is the invoice value in pounds?
    1. £10,000
    2. £15,625
    3. £12,580
    4. £9,600

    Reference: q-ef55e410-132 · Report this question

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    Answer: A. £10,000

    Multiply the dollar value by pounds per dollar: 12,500 × 0.80 = £10,000. Currency units show why multiplication is appropriate.
  5. 5. Two Irish teams have 12 and 18 employees. Their average weekly outputs per employee are 40 and 50 units respectively. What is the combined average output per employee?
    1. 45
    2. 46
    3. 47
    4. 48

    Reference: q-2e55af71-168 · Report this question

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    Answer: B. 46

    Total output = 12 × 40 + 18 × 50 = 1,380 units. Divide by 30 employees: 1,380 / 30 = 46. A simple average of 40 and 50 would ignore the team sizes.
  6. 6. A New Zealand office budgets NZ$18,000 for software. It spends NZ$4,200 in Q1, NZ$4,800 in Q2 and NZ$3,600 in Q3. What percentage of the annual budget remains?
    1. 20%
    2. 25%
    3. 30%
    4. 35%

    Reference: q-ee411d00-160 · Report this question

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    Answer: C. 30%

    Spent = 4,200 + 4,800 + 3,600 = NZ$12,600. Remaining = NZ$5,400. The share remaining is 5,400 / 18,000 × 100 = 30%.
  7. 7. A company has revenue of US$80,000 and total costs of US$60,000. What is profit as a percentage of revenue?
    1. 20%
    2. 25%
    3. 30%
    4. 33.33%

    Reference: q-768652b-108 · Report this question

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    Answer: B. 25%

    Profit = 80,000 − 60,000 = US$20,000. Profit margin = 20,000 / 80,000 × 100 = 25%. Dividing by cost instead calculates markup.
  8. 8. A branch has 48 staff split between operations and support in the ratio 5:3. Six staff move from operations to support. What is the new ratio?
    1. 1:1
    2. 3:2
    3. 2:3
    4. 5:4

    Reference: q-6f5ade2d-143 · Report this question

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    Answer: A. 1:1

    Initially operations = 48 × 5/8 = 30 and support = 18. After moving six, both teams have 24 staff, giving 1:1.
  9. 9. A US delivery firm completes 96% of its 2,500 deliveries on time. How many deliveries are late?
    1. 40
    2. 96
    3. 100
    4. 104

    Reference: q-f2daab36-96 · Report this question

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    Answer: C. 100

    The late share is 100% − 96% = 4%. Therefore 2,500 × 0.04 = 100 deliveries are late.
  10. 10. A software subscription costs £600 per year. Its price rises by 10% and then falls by 10%. What is the resulting annual price?
    1. £594
    2. £600
    3. £606
    4. £660

    Reference: q-48488831-127 · Report this question

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    Answer: A. £594

    Apply both multipliers: 600 × 1.10 × 0.90 = £594. Equal percentage increases and decreases do not cancel because the bases differ.
  11. 11. An Irish workshop produces 320 units at €18 each and 180 units at €23 each. What is the total production cost?
    1. €9,500
    2. €9,900
    3. €10,000
    4. €10,250

    Reference: q-6d8afaa2-111 · Report this question

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    Answer: B. €9,900

    The two costs are 320 × 18 = €5,760 and 180 × 23 = €4,140. Their sum is €9,900.
  12. 12. An Australian support team had 80 open cases at the start of a day. It received 145 new cases and closed 170. How many cases remained open at the end of the day?
    1. 25
    2. 45
    3. 55
    4. 65

    Reference: q-6190ffd7-162 · Report this question

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    Answer: C. 55

    Ending cases = opening cases + received − closed = 80 + 145 − 170 = 55. The opening backlog must be included.

Review the numerical reasoning method