Financial job numeracy exam?

Question

I've just appled for a floor staff position in a high street bank, and im due to do some sort of number test. Does anyone know off any general online examples of this sort of test, or know what it may entail? Im just trying to get a rough idea of what'll be on it. Thanx.

Answer 1

Yes ..

There are a number of types .. most are Multiple Choice ... others are "spot the difference" or require "estimates" or exact answers ..

In some of the Multiple Choice cases you can "estimate" you way to the answer very quickley .. for example if the choices are 0.38, 7.6, 106, 1034 plainly you only need to perform sugfficient calculations to determin the order of magnitude ..

The worst is the one where you have an impossible time limit and get one point per correct answer (and nothing for a wrong answer) ... and in some cases the most DIFFICULT questions are first ... so you can waste most of the time on the first few questions .. and then have to "guess" all the rest ...

Another type is "1 point for a correct answer, -1 point for a wrong answer, 0 for no answer" ... these are designed to eliminate guesses ... (so skip difficult questions and answer those that are easy first but dont guess even if you are running out of time)

In other cases it will be "1 point for corret answer, 0 for wrong answer, -1 for no answer" .. here you have to answer every question even if you are guessing towards the end ..

In the "spot the difference" cases you will get lists of numbers that should add up to some specific (given) total .. you have to spot the ones that dont add up .. again in some cases you can "spot" the total is in error without actually adding up ,,... for example 10 numbers .
3, 8, 7, 5, 2, 3, 4, 9, 3, 6 total 106
= plainly wrong (10 single digit numbers can never add up to more than 90)


My main advise is to listen extreamly cearfully to the instructions .. if they dont say how its marked, I suggest you ask (dont just assume you can get points for guessing).

Check how many questions and how long you have . then calculate how long you have per question ..

Read the question & (if multipe choice) read the answers = sometimes the answer will leap out without the need to make any exact calculations ..

If you get "stuck" half way through a question, skip onto the next and come back later (if allowed and if you have time).

Good Luck !!