Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning
What the domain tests
Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning measures arithmetic with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percents; ratio and rate problems; averages; unit conversions; and interpretation of simple tables. Questions are usually short workplace scenarios, so the setup matters as much as the calculation.
Core rules
- Write down the known quantities with units before calculating.
- Percent change = (new − old) ÷ old × 100. “Percent of” means multiply; “percentage points” describes a difference between percents.
- Average = total ÷ count, so total = average × count.
- For rates, keep units aligned: forms per hour × hours = forms.
- Estimate first to catch magnitude errors, then compute exactly.
- Answer the quantity requested, not the first number you calculate.
Worked example
A clerk processes 180 forms in 4 hours. At the same rate, how many forms in 7 hours? Rate = 180 ÷ 4 = 45 forms per hour. In 7 hours: 45 × 7 = 315 forms. Reasoning: the rate is constant, so scale from one hour rather than adding 180 and 7.
Traps
Rounding intermediate results too early; mixing minutes and hours; treating a 20% increase followed by a 20% decrease as no change; and selecting an answer that is a partial step, such as the rate instead of the total.