EPSO AST/SC cheat sheet

Answer only from the passage: an option that is true in general but not stated in the text is wrong.

Scope words decide truth value: all/always/only/every make a claim strong; some/often/may make it weak. A single counter-example refutes an 'all' claim.

'According to the passage' = literal check. 'Implied/inferred' = a step the text forces, not a plausible guess.

Distinguish cause from correlation: texts reporting co-occurrence do not license a causal conclusion.

Watch quantifier shifts between passage and option: 'most' does not entail 'all'; 'not all' does not entail 'none'.

Comparison traps: 'A is cheaper than B' does not tell whether A is cheap in absolute terms, nor how A compares to C.

Time traps: a statement about a past trend does not establish the present situation unless the text says so.

Main-idea questions: reject options that are true but cover only one paragraph; the answer must span the whole text.

Tone and attitude questions are answered by evaluative vocabulary (regrettably, admirably, allegedly), not by topic.

Percentage change = (new − old) / old × 100. A rise of x% then a fall of x% leaves a net loss of x²/100 %.

Successive changes multiply: +20% then −10% gives ×1.20 × 0.90 = ×1.08, i.e. +8%.

Percentage points vs percent: going from 20% to 25% is +5 percentage points but +25% relative.

Reverse percentages: if a price after a 15% rise is 92, the original is 92 / 1.15, not 92 × 0.85.

Ratios: total = sum of parts. To split N in ratio a:b:c, each share = N × part/(a+b+c).

Work/rate: time = work / rate. Combined rate adds: 1/t = 1/t₁ + 1/t₂; two workers at 6 h and 3 h finish in 2 h.

Average speed for equal distances = harmonic mean 2xy/(x+y), not (x+y)/2.

Compound growth: final = initial × (1 + r)^n; simple interest = initial × r × n.

Unit checks: convert before computing (km to m, minutes to hours) and verify the answer's magnitude is plausible.

Count elements first: number of shapes, sides, dots, or intersections usually follows a +1/−1 or alternating series.

Track rotation per step: 45° or 90° clockwise/counter-clockwise, applied to one element while others stay fixed.

Check position rules: elements move along edges, corners, or diagonals, or swap places in a fixed pattern.

Colour/fill toggles: black↔white often alternates every step or flips when a shape crosses a boundary.

Size and shading often follow independent series; solve each attribute separately rather than as one rule.

Superposition rules: overlay two figures - same-position shapes may cancel, add, or keep only the overlap.

Symmetry and line counts: count axes of symmetry or total line segments across the series to find the progression.

Odd-one-out: find the attribute shared by all but one figure (closed vs open, curved vs straight, odd vs even count).

Verify the candidate rule against every figure in the series before choosing; a rule fitting only three of four is wrong.

Rank options by the EU civil-service values: integrity, transparency, service to citizens, accountability, respect.

Priority order for conflicting tasks: legal/deadline-critical and safety matters first, then impact on external stakeholders, then internal convenience.

Escalate when the issue exceeds your authority, involves ethics or fraud, or risks missing a legal deadline; inform your line manager early.

Choose the option that solves the problem within your role; 'do nothing and wait' and 'go public/leak' are almost always wrong.

Communication rule: inform those affected, in writing where a record matters, and keep tone neutral and factual.

Team conflict: address it directly and privately first, then involve the manager if it persists; avoid taking sides in public.

Resource pressure: renegotiate scope or deadline with the requester rather than silently cutting quality or working around procedures.

Errors: acknowledge, correct, and report promptly; concealing a mistake is scored worse than the mistake itself.

Efficiency: consolidate similar tasks, delegate what can be delegated, and protect time for statutory obligations.

Negation test for assumptions: negate an option; if the passage collapses, that option was necessary.

'Only if' introduces a necessary condition; 'if' introduces a sufficient one. Do not reverse them.

Passage may state A causes B; option claiming B causes A is a reversal and is wrong.

Words like 'some', 'few', 'rarely' are compatible with 'most', so an option using them can still be correct.

If two options are logically equivalent, neither is the single best answer - look for the discriminating detail.

Numbers in text: a doubling is +100%; a threefold increase is +200%. Options mixing these are traps.

Author's conclusion usually follows 'therefore', 'so', 'this shows'; evidence before it is premise, not conclusion.

When the passage is about a proposal, distinguish what is recommended from what is merely described.

Discount then tax: apply in the stated order; ×0.8 then ×1.2 = ×0.96, not ×1.0.

Profit margin = profit/revenue; markup = profit/cost. A 25% markup equals a 20% margin.

Weighted average = Σ(value × weight) / Σ(weight); use when groups differ in size.

Currency and rounding: round only at the final step; intermediate rounding accumulates error.

Data interpretation: read axis units and whether the chart starts at zero before comparing bar heights.

Probability of at least one = 1 − P(none); for independent events multiply the complements.

Ratio scaling: if a:b = 3:4 and b = 20, then a = 15; find the multiplier first.

Time zones and schedules: convert all times to one reference before adding durations.

Sanity check with estimation: 48 × 21 ≈ 50 × 20 = 1000; reject options far from the estimate.

Two-rule grids: rows follow one rule (e.g. rotation) and columns another (e.g. shading); test both directions.

Number series in figures: sides 3,4,5,6 or dots 1,3,5,7 - check arithmetic before geometric patterns.

Enclosure rule: a dot inside a shape versus outside often signals a count threshold (e.g. inside when sides are even).

Mirror versus rotation: a mirrored figure cannot be produced by rotation; check chirality.

Distractor elements stay constant across the series; ignore them and focus on what changes.

If the series alternates, split into odd and even positions and solve each sub-series.

Overlay with cancellation: shapes present in both figures disappear; shapes in one only remain.

When a colleague asks you to skip a control 'just this once', refuse and record the request; compliance is non-negotiable.

Confidentiality: share information only with those who need it for the task; forwarding to a wider list is a breach.

Citizen complaint: acknowledge, gather facts, respond within the stated deadline, and correct the process if at fault.

Conflicting instructions from two managers: clarify priorities in writing and, if unresolved, ask the common hierarchical superior.

Deadline at risk: warn early with a revised plan and options, not at the deadline itself.

New task overload: assess impact on existing commitments, propose reprioritisation to the manager rather than deciding alone.

Diversity and respect: address discriminatory remarks immediately and factually, regardless of the speaker's seniority.

Continuous improvement: propose a process fix after solving the immediate case; both matter, the fix second.

Extreme wording ('never', 'impossible', 'proves') in an option is a warning sign unless the passage uses the same strength.

Options that add information beyond the passage are wrong even if factually accurate.

Check pronoun reference: 'it', 'this', 'they' must map to the stated noun, not to your assumption.

Definitions in the passage override everyday meanings of a term; use the text's definition.

If the question asks what the author would agree with, apply the author's stated position, not your own view.

Interest compounded more than annually: rate per period = annual rate / periods; periods = years × periods per year.

Break-even units = fixed costs / (price − variable cost per unit).

Percentage of a total: part = total × percent/100; find the total by dividing, not multiplying.

Speed = distance/time; for a round trip at different speeds use total distance / total time.

Check the question's unit request (thousands, millions, %) before selecting the option.

When two rules both fit, prefer the simpler one (fewer transformations) - it is the intended answer.

Check the direction of rotation against the first two figures before applying it to the answer choices.

Count line intersections as well as shapes; overlapping lines often follow their own series.

Answers must continue the series, not merely resemble the last figure.

Prefer the option that combines immediate action with proper reporting over one that only reports.

Avoid options that shift blame to another unit or person; ownership is scored positively.

When two options are both acceptable, choose the one that is proportionate and within procedure.

Customer/stakeholder focus does not override rules; explain the rule and offer lawful alternatives.