Civil Service Numerical Test (CSNT): Sample Questions & Practice Tests

Eldar,  Civil Service Exam Expert at JobTestPrep.

Have a question? Contact me at: ask_the_team@jobtestprep.co.uk

What Is the Civil Service Numerical Reasoning Test?

The Civil Service Numerical Test (CSNT) is a psychometric test that assesses your numerical reasoning skills and aims to ascertain your ability to evaluate numerical information, perform calculations, and solve mathematical problems.

The test, which is taken online, is  adaptive, meaning that as you go through the test, the difficulty of the questions varies, depending on your performance – if you answer correctly, the next question will be more difficult, and if you answer incorrectly, the next question will be easier.  This self-adjusting style of the test ensures it will be challenging for anyone who takes it, regardless of their level in maths. By the end of the assessment, every test-taker should converge on a level of difficulty that best describes their true ability.

You will be presented with graphs and tables that contain numerical information, followed by a multiple-choice question. You will need to identify and choose the correct answer.

You are allowed to use a calculator.

The CSNT has no time limit and usually takes up to 45 minutes. Your score will not be impacted by how long you take.

Let’s see how it looks!

Civil Service Numerical Test Questions Sample Questions

• CSNT Sample Question #1

Let’s start with an easy one –

If 12,000 people participated in this survey, how many of them chose soup?

A. 960

B. 1,080

C. 1,200

D. 1,360

E. 1,420

Correct Answer

Incorrect Answer

To answer the question, you first need to understand the chart:

•  The left column represents the food preference distribution (in percentages) across the male respondents in the sample.
•  The middle column presents the distribution across female respondents.
•  The right column presents the distribution across all respondents (male and female).

You are asked to find the number of people (male and female) who chose soup as their preferred food, thus the only relevant column is the right one.

9% of the survey respondents (male and female) liked soup.

Out of 12,000 people, 9% is equal to:

12,000 × (9/100) = 12,000 × 0.09 = 1,080 people.

The correct answer is B

• CSNT Sample Question #2

Now let’s move on to something a bit more complicated –

What is the value of 500 British pounds in Brazilian Real, using the Yen exchange rate?

A. 1,900

B. 19,000

C. 100,000

D. 1,000,000

E. None of These

Correct Answer

Incorrect Answer

First, convert 500 British pounds (GBP) to Yen.

According to the table, 1 Yen is equivalent to 0.005 GBP, thus:

1 GBP = 1 ÷ 0.005 Yen = 200 Yen.

Therefore, 500 GBP = 500 × 200 = 100,000 Yen

Next, convert the 100,000 Yen to Brazilian Real (BRL) using the Yen to BRL exchange rate provided in the table:

100,000 × 0.019 = 1,900 BRL

The correct answer is A

Solving tip: You can save time by directly calculating the GBP to BRL rate (if 0.005 GBP = 0.019 BRL, then GBP to BRL = 0.019 ÷ 0.005 = 3.8), and then multiplying it by 500 (500 GBP = 500 × 3.8 = 1,900 BRL).

• CSNT Sample Question #3

Let’s see a more challenging one –

*GDP -Gross Domestic Product

In 2010 there were 5,880,483 more women than men.

What was the total GDP in 2010?

A. 333,450,000

B. 257,831,770

C. 512,475,987

D. 490,887,252

E. 527,479,325

Correct Answer

Incorrect Answer

According to the table, the gender rate of men to women in 2010 was 44% : 56%, adding up to the whole population, or 100% (both men and women).

This means that the number 5,880,483 corresponds to the difference between the genders: 56% - 44% = 12% more women than men (You can make the same calculation using decimals: 0.56 - 0.44 = 0.12).

If 12% of the whole equals 5,880,483, then, to find the amount of population in 2010, use the rule of 3:

• 12% → 5,880,483
  100% → y

In other words:

• (12 ÷ 100) → 5,880,483
  (100 ÷ 100) → y

Which is

• 0.12 → 5,880,483
  1 → y
  y = 1 × 5,880,483 ÷ 0.12 = 5,880,483 ÷ 0.12 = 49,004,025, which is the population as of 2010.

The table shows that the GDP per capita in 2010 was $10.764.

As we now know, the population size is 49,004,025.

Therefore, the total GDP in 2010 is:

49,004,025 × 10.764 = $527,479,325

The correct answer is E

How to Prepare for the Civil Service Numerical Test?

To receive a high score Civil Service Numerical Test, you first need to refresh your mathematical skills. Then you need to familiarize yourself with the test’s types of questions and its unique challenges. With the proper preparation materials tailored especially for the Civil Service Numerical Reasoning Test, you can improve your mathematical abilities, learn how to approach the questions, and do all the required calculations, from the easiest to the hardest. 

About to take the Civil Service Numerical Test? Check out our PrepPack! It includes all the preparation needed to pass the Civil Service Numerical Test and the Civil Service Verbal Test!

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What Is a Good Score on This Numerical Reasoning Test & Can You Fail It?

Your Civil Service numerical reasoning test score is calculated by the number of questions you answered correctly, with each question affecting the score relative to its difficulty level.

Then, your score is compared to a group of representatives at the same occupation and organisational level as the position you applied for and will be presented as a percentile out of 100%. This means that if your percentile score is 45, you scored higher than 45% of the representatives in the group.

After the test deadline, the sum of all candidates' scores will determine the test's passing mark.

If you pass the test at the minimum passing mark, your score will be banked for six months. This means you can apply to other Civil Service jobs without retaking the test. If you didn’t receive the passing score or it has been more than six months since taking the test, you will need to retake it when applying for other positions.

Civil Service Numerical Test (CSNT) Tips

For many people, the CSNT is the gatekeeper between them and their chosen careers. This thought alone can induce test anxiety, which is a natural human response to any test, let alone a fateful one. Here are a few helpful tips to reduce anxiety:

Don’t rush
Since the Civil Service Numerical Test has no time constraint, and the time it takes you to complete doesn’t affect your score, you can take your time and not rush to submit your answer. Read the question carefully, pay attention to the data, validate your calculations, and go through all the possible choices before moving on to the next question.

Eliminate unnecessary information
Graphs and table questions can be loaded with details irrelevant to the questions you’ve been asked. Read the question before approaching the data; it will make it easier for you to locate the relevant information.

More than numbers
The numbers are not all that matters; the purpose of this test is to see how you use the numbers to reach the answer. Make sure you dominate all the basic calculation methods so you will be able to identify and perform the one you need.

To ace the Civil Service Numerical Test, you need not only to master mathematics at all difficulty levels but also to be prepared for these particular types of questions and their challenges.

What Other Civil Service Tests I’ll Likely Need to Take?

During your recruitment process for the Civil Service, you may be asked to take one or more aptitude tests, depending on the position and its requirements.

Below is a list of all the Civil Service ability tests –