Wonderlic WBST cheat sheet

Synonym items ask for the choice closest in meaning to the stem word; eliminate options that are antonyms or clearly unrelated before comparing the rest.

Antonym items ask for the choice most nearly opposite in meaning; a synonym of the stem is always a wrong answer here.

Analogies are solved by naming the relationship in the stem pair (part-to-whole, cause-effect, degree, function, category) and requiring the same relationship, in the same order, in the answer pair.

Contrast signal words (but, although, however, despite, yet, rather) reverse the sentence's direction; continuation signal words (and, because, therefore, since, thus) keep the same direction.

Vocabulary-in-context items are decided by the sentence, not by the word's most familiar meaning; a secondary sense of a common word is a frequent trap.

Odd-one-out items give several words in a shared category plus one that lacks the category's defining property; the odd word is the answer.

Reading questions are answered only from statements in the passage; a choice that is true in general life but not stated or implied in the text is incorrect.

Subject-verb agreement is unaffected by a prepositional phrase between subject and verb: 'The box of tools is heavy' takes a singular verb.

Grammar and usage items usually contain one error only; check subject-verb agreement first, then pronoun-antecedent agreement, then modifier placement.

Percent change = (new value − old value) ÷ old value × 100; a positive result is an increase, a negative result a decrease.

In word problems, 'of' means multiply, 'is' means equals, and 'per' means divide, so 30% of 80 is 0.30 × 80 = 24.

Average = sum of values ÷ number of values, so sum = average × count; use the rearranged form to recover a missing total or missing item.

Distance = rate × time; the rearrangements time = distance ÷ rate and rate = distance ÷ time cover all standard motion items.

Combined work rate: 1/a + 1/b = 1/t, where a and b are the individual times to finish a job and t is the time when working together.

Order of operations: parentheses, exponents, multiplication and division left to right, then addition and subtraction left to right.

A fraction of an amount: a/b of n = (a × n) ÷ b, so 3/4 of 60 = 180 ÷ 4 = 45.

Compare fractions by cross-multiplying: for a/b and c/d compare a × d with c × b; the larger product sits under the larger fraction.

Number series: test constant differences first, then constant ratios, then alternating patterns running on odd and even positions separately.

Discount: final price = original × (1 − rate). Markup: selling price = cost × (1 + rate). A 25% discount on $80 leaves $60.