The levels of difficulty of numerical tests

The numerical reasoning test can be used to assess individuals at different organisational levels (such as graduate, professional and managers) as well as in different occupations. Psychometric testing companies typically use numerical reasoning tests with different difficulty levels and benchmarks to ensure that the test is approrpiate to the occupation and level and accurately measures candidates’ abilities and potential against these. Employers expect you to demonstrate stronger numerical reasoning skills as a graduate than a nongraduate. Similarly, if you apply for a management role, you are expected to show stronger numerical reasoning skills than a graduate. The type of occupation also determines the level of difficulty of the test. For example, if you apply as a graduate for an engineering role, you will be expected to show higher numerical reasoning skills than if you applied as a graduate for a marketing role.

What is a more difficult numerical reasoning test?

Each numerical reasoning test has a fairly consistent level of difficulty across all its test questions. Generally the questions at the beginning of the test will be simpler than those towards the end. The complexity of data, amount of data and time constraints are the factors affecting the level of difficulty of a numerical reasoning test.
The test becomes more difficult as the complexity of data increases. Typically this complexity of data relates to the number of calculations or transformations required to find the answer.
Some questions only include the data you need to get to the answer, but others have additional data which is used to distract your attention and take up time. As the level of difficulty of the numerical reasoning test increases, typically so does the amount of distracting data.
Nnumerical test questions should take you around 45 to 60 seconds to complete. Therefore, a test at a higher level of difficulty will allow you less time for each test question.

These additional factors are the hurdles that, even if you are good in solving numerical reasoning questions and have a good background in maths, you will face when you take a numerical reasoning test. Therefore, we recommend that you practise as much as you can before taking the real numerical test. You can practise by taking some of our many practice numerical reasoning tests, which are designed to match the level of difficulty of the real numerical test that you are likely to receive. Upon completing a test, you will receive a detailed report including scores, correct and wrong answers, and a detailed explanation for each answer so you can learn how to avoid making a similar mistake in your real numerical test. You can also take our online numerical reasoning course to learn about the strategies and tactics for solving numerical reasoning test questions, and get all the knowledge you need about the test material. If you have more time, you can also use numerical reasoning test books that have additional numerical reasoning questions.