Get the Most Accurate SHL Numerical Reasoning Test Practice (2024)

The SHL Numerical Reasoning Test evaluates your ability to calculate, analyse, and interpret numerical data.

Your SHL Numerical Reasoning Test may be in 1 of 3 versions, which differ in question types, difficulty, and time limits. To be properly prepared, it is crucial to know which version you take.

Don't worry; we'll explain everything further below.

The three versions of the SHL Numerical Test are:

• SHL Verify Numerical Reasoning Test (Interactive) - 10 questions in 18 minutes
• SHL Verify Numerical Reasoning Test (Next Generation) - 16 questions in 18-20 minutes
• SHL CEB Verify Numerical Reasoning (Legacy Generation) - 18 questions in 17-25 minutes. This test is less common but is still occasionally used.

Preparing for the right test version is absolutely crucial for succeeding on your SHL Numerical Test. Find Which SHL Test Version You Have in 3 Steps and ensure you are not wasting your preparation time.

Below we will go over each test separately, alongside sample questions with full explanations and a free sample test.

The SHL Verify Interactive Numerical Reasoning Test is one of SHL’s new assessments and is currently the most common version. While it’s much more engaging for the test-takers, it is also more complex and takes longer to solve. That’s because you have to consume long instructions, analyse data, make calculations, and finally tweak and interact with graphs, charts, and pies.

The test allows a calculator and contains 18 questions to be answered in 10 minutes.

The SHL Verify Multiple-Choice Numerical Reasoning Test is a classic multiple-choice assessment. Here, you usually face tables, graphs, or charts with some data on them, and you need to choose the correct answer — no interactions, tweaking, or games.

The test usually allows a calculator and contains 16 questions to be solved in 20 minutes.

Want more? Check out this free SHL Numerical Reasoning (Multiple-Choice) sample test, free SHL Numerical Reasoning (Interactive) sample test or the complete SHL free practice test!

The SHL CEB Numerical Reasoning test is the oldest version of the SHL Numerical Reasoning Test. It is increasingly becoming obsolete, but several employers still use it.

The test contains 18 questions to be solved in 25 minutes.

Learn more about the SHL CEB Numerical Reasoning Test.

In the official assessment email, SHL invites you to try sample numerical questions and practice tests using its preparation site, SHL Direct.

Here are three reasons why you can't count on SHL Direct practice tests alone:

#1 They don’t tell you which version to practise (you’ve already learned there are three different versions). Also, you can only complete their practice test once, and to retake it, you'll need to use a different email every time.

#2 You don’t get to see what questions you got wrong or get any solutions or explanations (yes, that’s annoying). But hey, we did that for you! Check out the full solution to SHL's Numerical Reasoning Practice Test.

#3 The practice tests don’t include the wide variety of questions you’ll see on the real test. Additionally, the difficulty level of the practice material is easier. In fact, SHL says on their site that the “difficulty level of the practice tests may not exactly reflect the level of difficulty of the test you will be asked to complete.”

So, you can use the SHL direct numerical practice as a supplement, but for the reasons listed above, we would not recommend relying solely on these tests as these will likely not represent the exact test you'll face. Instead, use more comprehensive practice tests that reflect the difficulty level and format of the actual test. 

If you're looking for a cheat sheet that has all the answers to the actual SHL Numerical Reasoning test, we have bad news for you.

The bad news is that we don't have a magic PDF with all the answers to the actual assessment.

In fact, no one on the internet has (and don't let them tell you otherwise).

SHL holds a question bank of hundreds of numerical reasoning questions that change with time. And getting your hands on this question bank is impossible.

The SHL Numerical test is sent to candidates either as a standalone test, like the Amazon SHL Numerical Reasoning test, or as part of the larger SHL General Ability test, like the Rolls Royce Assessment Test (also including Inductive and Deductive sections).

Now, the assessment invitation you get from SHL is one of the vaguest parts of your recruitment process.

Your test invitation will include the assessment’s name, the overall time limit, and what you’re allowed to use (i.e., pen and paper).

That said, this email won’t reveal which of the three versions you’ll be taking and what you’re up against. For example, you won’t be able to distinguish if you got the interactive version or the non-interactive one.

For that, you’ll need to click on the assessment’s link and read the assessment’s intro and instructions.

(don’t worry, clicking on the link won’t start the test)

In the next screen, you’ll see three details that will help uncover the test you’re about to take.

• No. of questions
• Time limit
• Instructions/guidelines

Use the overview of the different tests above to uncover the test version you’re going to take.

Identifying which SHL Numerical test version you’ll be taking is key because it impacts your whole practice process. That said, don’t worry if you can’t detect your version since we have got you covered with a complete preparation pack for all three tests mentioned above.

Once you complete the SHL Numerical assessment, you’ll receive a “Candidate Assessment Report” that includes both feedback and scoring.

Note that the SHL Numerical Reasoning test scores are comparative.

This means that your scores are being compared to a large group of candidates who took these tests in the past (graduates/interns/seniors, etc.).

There are five percentile scores, from A to E, and your score will be placed in one of them, as you can see in this illustration:

The higher you score, the closer you’ll be to group “A”, meaning chances are high that you’ve passed the test.

Generally, it’s safe to say that the pass mark is around 80%; in this case, it’s group “B” and above.

• The SHL Numerical tests include lots of chart question types. When dealing with two-axes charts, be aware of: Time elements (days, months, years etc. that will mostly appear on the horizontal ("X") axis, and Quantity elements that will mostly appear on the vertical ("Y") axis.
  
  Axes being swapped around or mismatched are one of the most common things you’ll encounter on the test, so pay extra attention to this.
  
  
• Ensure you read the questions carefully and don’t rush to choose a potentially wrong answer, as this is where many candidates tend to fall. To lower the chances of getting a question wrong when time’s running out, use the educated guessing technique (explained in detail in our preparation pack).
  
  
• If you have enough prep time before the test, ensure you have strong maths foundations, especially if you’ve been out of school for a while. Tripping on small things like decimals, fractions, and percentages conversions would be a real shame.
  
  
• Ensure not to leave any blank questions. Every question left unanswered will result in score reduction.
  
  
• Avoid generic Numerical Reasoning practice tests like the plague. The internet is packed with Numerical practice materials that look nothing like the real SHL tests. They might be good for practising your overall numerical reasoning skills, but they are no good for learning what to expect on the actual test.

The most common SHL tests are the Cognitive SHL Verify Interactive, the Verify General Ability (G+), the SHL Numerical Reasoning Test, and the SHL Inductive Reasoning test.

Other less common psychometric tests from SHL include the SHL Verbal, SHL Deductive, SHL Checking, SHL Calculation, SHL Personality Questionnaire (OPQ), SHL SJT (Situational Judgement Test), and SHL Mechanical Comprehension Test.

Watch the following video to receive a brief introduction to the SHL Assessment Tests, including practice questions and solving tips from our SHL expert: 

The most challenging elements of the SHL Numerical Reasoning test are the time frame and the information overload that some questions present. You’ll often have little more than 60 seconds to answer every question. A slight misreading of a question will cause you to lose marks.

Based on thorough research, our psychometric experts' team has created accurate practice tests designed to get you ready for the SHL Numerical assessments. This is the only practice that simulates the increasingly popular interactive version of the test.  

How will this improve your score?

• Cover different question types to be ready for any question on the test, with practice questions and explanations customized to your test version. This exclusively includes the new Verify G+ Interactive version.
• Get more confident and quick when solving questions under time pressure by practicing questions at the same difficulty level and time limit as in the actual test. 
• Refresh your math skills with simple and easily digestible math video tutorials and study guides, in case you run into math subjects you haven’t touched in years and want to review the basics from square one.

We at JobTestPrep find the assessment tests world highly diverse and fascinating. If you are looking to deepen your knowledge in the aptitude tests world, or you want some extra practice before your test, we've got you covered!

Check out these fantastic free practice tests (all are completely free):

Free Aptitude Test | Free Psychometric Test | Free Numerical Reasoning Test | Free Verbal Reasoning Test | Free Cognitive Test | Free Critical Thinking Test | Free Abstract Reasoning Test | Free Spatial Reasoning Tets | Free Personality Test | Free Inductive Test | Free Mechanical Reasoning Test