Civil Service and Municipal Service Computer Testing cheat sheet

Main idea = the claim the whole passage supports; it must cover every paragraph, not just the first or last.

Supporting detail questions are answered by a sentence in the passage; if you must infer it, it is an inference question instead.

Inference must follow necessarily from stated evidence; a plausible guess that the passage never implies is wrong.

Tone words (critical, neutral, cautious, enthusiastic) are signalled by adjectives and adverbs, not by topic alone.

Scope shift trap: an answer that is true in general but broader or narrower than the passage's claim is incorrect.

Cause vs correlation: passages using 'associated with', 'linked to', or 'coincided with' do not establish causation.

For analogy questions, restate the original relationship as a sentence (A is a type of B) before comparing options.

Ordering sentences into a paragraph: find the topic sentence, then chain by pronouns (this, it, they) and connectors (however, therefore).

Vocabulary in context: substitute each option back into the sentence and keep the one that preserves the surrounding logic.

Percentage change = (new − old) ÷ old × 100; a rise then an equal fall does not return to the original value.

Successive percentage changes multiply: +20% then −10% gives 1.20 × 0.90 = 1.08, a net +8%.

Profit and loss are computed on cost price unless the question states otherwise; discount is computed on marked price.

Simple interest = P × r × t; compound interest = P(1 + r)^t − P, with r as a decimal per period.

Speed = distance ÷ time; for a train passing a platform, total distance = train length + platform length.

Work problems: if A finishes in a days, A's one-day rate is 1/a; combined rate adds, and time = 1 ÷ combined rate.

Average = sum ÷ count; if every value rises by k, the average rises by k, and the average lies between the min and max.

Ratio scaling: convert ratios to a common unit by finding the LCM of the ratio denominators before comparing.

Permutations count order (nPr); combinations do not (nCr); 'at least one' is usually 1 − P(none).

Syllogism validity depends only on form: 'All A are B' plus 'All B are C' yields 'All A are C'; 'Some' premises never yield an 'All' conclusion.

Contrapositive is equivalent: 'If P then Q' equals 'If not Q then not P'; the converse 'If Q then P' is not equivalent.

'Only if' introduces a necessary condition: 'P only if Q' means P implies Q, not Q implies P.

Necessary vs sufficient: a necessary condition can hold while the outcome fails; a sufficient condition guarantees the outcome.

Number-series checks in order: differences, ratios, alternating sub-series (odd and even positions), then squares and cubes.

Matrix puzzles: test each rule separately - row-wise, column-wise, and whole-figure rotation or reflection.

Rotation preserves shape and handedness; reflection reverses it, so a mirrored figure is never a rotation.

Counting sides, enclosed regions, intersections, or line segments often reveals the progression when shapes look irregular.

Negation test for assumptions: if denying the statement destroys the argument, that statement is a required assumption.

Rank responses by three tests: does it serve the public interest, does it follow lawful procedure, does it preserve the working relationship.

Escalate when the issue exceeds your authority, involves safety, or concerns suspected fraud or misconduct; do not handle it quietly.

Correct a colleague's error privately first; public correction is reserved for immediate risk to service or safety.

When a citizen is angry, acknowledge the concern, state what you can do, and give a concrete next step and timeframe.

Confidentiality: share personal data only with those who need it to deliver the service, not with curious colleagues.

Declare conflicts of interest (family in a tender, gifts, outside employment) in writing and step back from the decision.

Choose the option that solves the problem at the lowest level of escalation while staying within policy.

'Ignore it' and 'do nothing' options are almost always wrong; so are options that break procedure to save time.

Distinguish the urgent from the important: a deadline can move, a safety risk cannot.

Rule of law means officials act only under legal authority; discretionary power is not unlimited power.

Separation of powers divides legislature (makes law), executive (implements), and judiciary (interprets and reviews).

Due process requires notice, a fair hearing, and a decision by an unbiased decision-maker.

Administrative transparency typically covers published rules, reasoned decisions, and access-to-information rights with defined exemptions.

Public accountability mechanisms include audit offices, ombudsmen, legislative oversight, and judicial review.

Merit-based recruitment means selection on published criteria, not patronage or personal connection.

Budget cycle stages: formulation, approval, execution, and audit; audit reports to the legislature, not to the spending department.

Subsidiarity and delegation: decisions are made at the lowest competent level consistent with law and capacity.

Public servants are accountable to the law and the public interest, not to the private preferences of a supervisor.

Spreadsheet formulas begin with '='; absolute references ($A$1) stay fixed when copied, relative references (A1) shift.

Common spreadsheet functions: SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, COUNTA, IF, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and CONCAT/TEXTJOIN.

Sorting rearranges rows; filtering only hides rows - totals over filtered data need SUBTOTAL, not SUM.

A pivot table summarizes records by row, column, and value fields; refresh it after the source data changes.

Word processing: styles drive headings and automatic tables of contents; manual bold headings do not update.

Email etiquette: reply vs reply-all, clear subject lines, no sensitive data in plain text, and check attachments before sending.

File management: meaningful names, version control, and backups; deleting to the recycle bin is reversible, permanent deletion is not.

Security basics: strong unique passwords, multi-factor authentication, phishing checks on sender address and links, and locking the screen.

Accessibility: alt text for images, real heading structure, and sufficient contrast make documents usable by screen readers.

Read the chart's title, units, axis scale, and legend before computing anything; most errors come from misread units.

Percentage of total = part ÷ total × 100; percentage change compares two periods, percentage points compare two percentages.

A pie chart shows composition of one total only; it cannot show change over time.

Bar charts compare categories; line charts show trends over time; scatter plots suggest correlation, not causation.

Weighted average = Σ(value × weight) ÷ Σ(weights); an unweighted mean of group averages is usually wrong.

Growth rate over n periods: CAGR = (end ÷ start)^(1/n) − 1.

When a chart's y-axis does not start at zero, small differences look large - check the baseline before concluding.

Rounding check: estimate with round numbers first, then compute, so a misplaced decimal is obvious.

Sample bias: conclusions from a self-selected or small sample cannot be generalized to the whole population.