What is the Royal Navy numeracy test?
The Royal Navy numeracy test is an important part of the Naval Service Recruitment Test (NSRT). Naval service personnel need to have a good grasp of mathematical concepts and basic numerical knowledge to be successful, so as part of the aptitude assessments used to place candidates in the Naval selection process, numeracy tests are important.
In the Royal Navy numeracy test, candidates will be assessed on their ability to manipulate numbers using basic operators, fractions and percentages as well as basic algebra.
The format of the Royal Navy numeracy test
In the Royal Navy numeracy test, candidates need to answer 30 questions in just 16 minutes. The questions are often phrased in practical terms - you are unlikely to be asked to complete a straight sum.
You will have questions based on word problems that need to be solved using addition, multiplication, subtraction or division. There are also questions that will test your abilities in understanding percentages and fractions. Each question is presented with multiple-choice answers.
As the mathematical knowledge used in the assessment is based on secondary school-level learning, the content of the questions is not the difficulty for most candidates, it is the time allowed for the test that makes it particularly challenging.
How is the Royal Navy numeracy test scored?
The NSRT is scored based on the number of correct answers, so to score well you need to answer as many questions correctly as possible. The Royal Navy does not publicise the scores needed for entry into the varying trades, but aiming for more than 50% of the questions correct should be sufficient in most situations.
The Royal Navy numeracy test is best approached with the mindset of scoring as high as possible to guarantee progression in your application.
Once you have completed the NSRT, you will receive your results straight away and can discuss them with a Careers Officer to decide what your next step in the application process should be. The aptitude tests used by the Royal Navy recruitment team are meant to find the strengths, weaknesses and skills of applicants to ensure that they are suitable for the role that they apply for.
How to pass the Royal Navy numeracy test
As with any aptitude tests, the content of the assessment is not necessarily the most difficult part. In the numeracy test, the mathematical knowledge tested is based on what you will have learned at GCSE-level. To make sure you are confident, it is always a good idea to revisit the basic numerical principles of algebra, fractions, percentages and mathematical numerators.
Once you have the basic knowledge down, the next step in your preparation should be to practice the tests that you will be facing. On the Royal Navy recruitment site you can get access to practice tests that are just like the ones that you will face in the NSRT - and that means you can practice against the clock.
The tight time frame allowed for the assessment is one of the most difficult things with these tests, so practicing under test conditions including a time limit will give you the best chance to practice efficiently.
Check out our full Royal Navy psychometric tests page here that include free tests.
