EPSO Numerical Reasoning

Each item shows its own data - a sentence of figures, a small table or a chart - followed by a question and a fixed set of answer options. You select one best answer. No external material is provided, so everything needed is on the screen. The interface is computer-based multiple-choice with a countdown timer for the battery.

The mathematics is modest - arithmetic, percentages, ratios, averages and simple rates. Difficulty comes from time pressure, multi-step wording and distractors built from plausible mistakes such as using the wrong base for a percentage change. Candidates who read carefully and compute cleanly usually find the level manageable.

Calculator and on-screen tool rules are set by EPSO for each competition and have changed over cycles. Do not assume either way. Read the current instructions in your invitation and on the EPSO website, and practise both with and without a calculator so the rule cannot derail you.

Question counts and time limits are set per competition and are not fixed across cycles. Rather than rely on second-hand figures, check the current notice of competition and the EPSO website, which state the number of questions, the time allowed and the scoring rule for the competition you are entering.

There is no single permanent pass mark. EPSO sets thresholds per competition and per profile, sometimes requiring a minimum in each subtest as well as an overall score, and only the highest scorers proceed. The applicable thresholds are published in the current notice of competition on the EPSO website.

Retake rules depend on the competition and on EPSO's general rules in force at the time, including any waiting period between attempts. These conditions are published by EPSO and can change between cycles, so confirm them in the current notice of competition before planning a resit.

Start with percentages, ratios and averages, because most other item types depend on them. Then add rates and time, estimation, and table interpretation. Work-rate, budget, probability and data-sufficiency items come last and need less volume. Finish with full timed sets mixing all types, since the real test does not announce the topic.

Answering the wrong quantity - for example, the change rather than the new value. Using the wrong percentage base. Mixing units such as minutes and hours or thousands and millions. Rounding too early. And spending too long on one stubborn item instead of moving on and returning. Each is fixable with a disciplined review log.

Keep an error log recording the item type, what you misread, and whether the cause was method, arithmetic or time. Recompute every wrong answer without looking at the solution, then redo the same item type a week later. Patterns in the log tell you which topic deserves the next study block.

The reasoning battery structure is broadly similar, but the level, the number of items and the weighting can differ by competition and profile, and some specialist competitions include different test combinations. Always read the notice of competition for the specific profile you are applying for.