Verbal Reasoning
Not publishedof exam
Numerical Reasoning
Not publishedof exam
Work Rate
Not publishedof exam
Spatial Reasoning
Not publishedof exam
Electrical Comprehension
Not publishedof exam
Mechanical Comprehension
Not publishedof exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- Defence Aptitude Assessment
- Services
- Royal Navy, Marines, RAF
- Structure
- Six tests, eight timed parts
- Questions
- 128 total
- Timers
- 69 minutes total
- Allow
- Around 90 minutes
- Pass mark
- None published; role-dependent
- Cost
- No fee to candidates
- Link valid
- 14 days, single sitting
- Screen
- 10.2 inches minimum
- Calculator
- Banned; paper and pencil allowed
- Where
- At home or AFCO
Six Tests in Order
Verbal, Numerical, Work rate, Spatial, Electrical, Mechanical
Numerical splits in twoSpatial splits in twoEight timed parts total
Some vs All
Some
- At least one
- Never proves some not
- Supports no individual claim
All
- Every member included
- Transfers to any member
- Contrapositive always valid
Weak versus total evidence
Verbal Answer Picker
- Asked what is true→Only guaranteed statements(Reject the plausible)
- Option says always→Find absolute wording(Else reject it)
- Table with conditions→Apply footnote first(Then read across)
- Some A are B→One overlap only(Proves nothing further)
- Effect given, cause asked→Check the converse(Usually invalid)
- Two synonyms look close→Substitute into sentence(Check direction first)
Verbal Reasoning Method
- Load
- 20 questions, 15 minutes
- Layout
- Four scenarios per test
- Pace
- About 45 seconds each
- Source of truth
- Answer only from text
- Read order
- Question first, then hunt
- Definitely true
- Must hold in every case
- Footnote row
- Special conditions override table
- Elimination
- Cut on strictest requirement first
- Scenario reuse
- Map facts once, reuse
Quantifier Rules
- All A are B
- Every A is B
- Some
- At least one; maybe all
- No A are B
- Reversible in both directions
- Most
- More than half
- Some vs some not
- Some still allows all
- Always, never, only
- Needs absolute text support
- May, often, typically
- Easier to justify
Conditional Logic
- If A then B
- A guarantees B
- Contrapositive
- Not B, so not A
- Converse
- Invalid: B never proves A
- Inverse
- Invalid: not A, not B
- Chain
- A to B to C
- Two some premises
- No valid conclusion
Percent Blocks
Ten percent, then halve, then a tenth
10% = move decimal5% = half of ten1% = tenth of ten
Mean vs Median
Mean
- Total / count
- Uses every value
- Dragged by outliers
Median
- Middle of ordered list
- Average middle two if even
- Resists outliers
Average versus middle
Numerical Method Picker
- Percentage of a value→10% blocks(Halve for 5%)
- Fractions to subtract→Common denominator(Check divisibility first)
- Fraction and decimal options→Convert to decimal(Learn the table)
- Unknown in an equation→Reverse the operations(Substitute to check)
- Total and quantity given→Divide for unit rate
- Speed, distance, time→Cover the triangle(Convert decimal hours)
- Two workers, one job→1/a + 1/b = 1/t(t = ab / (a+b))
- Chart carries a multiplier→Scale every reading(Check units first)
Arithmetic Shortcuts
- Load
- 12 questions, 4 minutes
- Pace
- 20 seconds per question
- Percent blocks
- Build from 10%, 5%, 1%
- 15% of 240
- 24 + 12 = 36
- 35% of 60
- 18 + 3 = 21
- Subtracting fractions
- Match denominators, then subtract
- 5/6 - 2/3
- 1/6
- 3/5 as decimal
- 0.6
- Decimal multiplying
- Multiply digits, count places
- 1.4 x 0.35
- 0.49
- Estimate first
- Kills misplaced-point distractors
Fraction to Decimal
- 1/8
- 0.125
- 1/5
- 0.2
- 1/4
- 0.25
- 1/3
- 0.333
- 3/8
- 0.375
- 1/2
- 0.5
- 5/8
- 0.625
- 2/3
- 0.667
- 3/4
- 0.75
- 7/8
- 0.875
Algebra and Formulae
- Solve 3x + 7 = 25
- x = 6
- Method
- Undo operations in reverse
- Check
- Substitute the answer back
- Unknown over denominator
- Multiply both sides first
- Negative sign slip
- Commonest algebra error
- Formula substitution
- Replace letters, then calculate
Rate and Work Problems
- Speed
- distance / time
- Time
- distance / speed
- Distance
- speed x time
- 250 km at 100 km/h
- 2 hours 30 minutes
- Half the speed
- Double the time
- One worker rate
- Job / time
- Combined work
- 1/a + 1/b = 1/t
- Two-worker shortcut
- t = ab / (a+b)
- 4 h and 6 h
- Together 2.4 hours
- Man-hours
- Workers x hours = constant
- Ratio parts
- Divide total by part sum
- Unit rate
- Divide down to one
Charts and Tables
- Load
- 15 questions, 11 minutes
- First check
- Axis labels, units, multiplier
- Figures in thousands
- Scale every value read
- Percent of a value
- Compute target, then look up
- 70% of 40,000
- 28,000
- Blank cell
- Derive the unit rate
- Total vs per item
- Check the column header
- Question types
- Value, trend, or difference
- 0.5 hours
- 30 minutes, not 50
- 0.25 hours
- 15 minutes
- Mean
- Total / count
- Median
- Middle of ordered list
- Range
- Highest minus lowest
Same Column, Same Order
Same columns, same order - nothing else matters
Translate the code firstOrder beats raw speedSymbols mean nothing
Work Rate vs Rate Maths
Work Rate test
- Coding and matching grids
- No arithmetic required
- 20 questions, 4 minutes
Rate problems
- Speed, work, unit rates
- Sit in numerical reasoning
- Real calculation required
Matching versus calculating
Work Rate Picker
- New grid appears→Read the code first(Three items only)
- Code given in letters→Find each column(Then swap rows)
- Options look similar→Check the order(Order decides it)
- Value outside code columns→Eliminate that option(Column trap)
- You lose your place→Re-read code only(Not the grid)
- Past twelve seconds→Guess and advance(No carry-over time)
Work Rate Coding
- Load
- 20 questions, 4 minutes
- Pace
- 12 seconds per question
- Grid rows
- Letters, numbers, pictures
- Code
- Three items, three columns
- The only rule
- Same columns, same order
- Method
- Translate code, then scan
- Worked
- Code letters -> column numbers
- Order trap
- Right values, wrong sequence
- Column trap
- Value from an unused column
- Symbols
- Meaningless labels; seek no pattern
- Lost your place
- Re-read the code only
- Stuck
- Guess, move, never linger
Two Dots Rule
Both dots right, or the option is wrong
Easy object firstEliminate three optionsThen check the hard one
Rotation vs Reflection
Rotation
- Turning only
- Clockwise order preserved
- Can be a valid option
Reflection
- Mirror image
- Clockwise order reversed
- Never reachable by turning
Turned versus flipped
Spatial Elimination Picker
- Pieces carry letter edges→Match same letters(Rotate as needed)
- Option looks oversized→Reject on size(Check longest edge)
- Extra bump or notch→Reject that option(No piece supplies it)
- Two objects, two dots→Judge easier object(Eliminate, then check)
- Features run anticlockwise→Reject as mirror(Rotation preserves order)
- Dot on wrong faces→Reject that option(Faces never change)
Spatial Part 1: 2D
- Load
- 10 questions, 4 minutes
- Task
- Join labelled edges, form shape
- Labels
- Match x to x
- Pieces shown
- Three or four shapes
- Rotation allowed
- Turn pieces to align
- Joined edges
- Vanish inside the outline
- Size check
- Longest edge caps the answer
- Area check
- Pieces must total the shape
- Extra spike
- No piece supplies it
Spatial Part 2: 3D
- Load
- 10 questions, 3 minutes
- Pace
- 18 seconds per question
- Task
- Two objects, dotted corners
- Correct option
- Both dots in original corners
- Order of work
- Judge the easy object
- Anchor
- Which faces meet the dot
- Rotation
- Preserves clockwise feature order
- Reflection
- Reverses it; never a rotation
- Mirror trap
- Sizes match, handedness wrong
Cube Net Drills
- Why drill these
- Trains part 2 rotation
- Cube net
- Six squares, one solid
- Opposite faces
- Separated by one square
- Row of four
- Wraps into a band
- Ends of that row
- Meet each other when folded
- Adjacent faces
- Share a folding edge
- Square count
- More or fewer fails
Ohm's Law Triangle
V on top, I and R below
Cover V: I x RCover I: V / RCover R: V / I
Series vs Parallel
Series
- Resistances add up
- Same current throughout
- One break stops all
Parallel
- Total below smallest resistor
- Full voltage each branch
- One break, others run
One path versus many
Electrical Question Picker
- Two of V, I, R→Ohm's law(V = I x R)
- Watts asked→P = V x I(Or I squared R)
- Resistors end to end→Add the resistances(Current shared)
- Resistors side by side→Lower total resistance(Voltage shared)
- Meter inside one branch→Reads branch current
- Meter before the split→Reads total current
- A switch opens→Trace the path(Series kills all)
- Worst conductor asked→Choose the non-metal
Electrical Core Facts
- Load
- 22 questions, 15 minutes
- Current
- Flow of charged particles
- Current unit
- Ampere (A)
- Voltage
- Potential difference, in volts
- Resistance
- Opposition to current, ohms
- Ohm's law
- V = I x R
- 12 V, 4 ohm
- I = 3 A
- Power
- P = V x I
- Power form 2
- P = I squared x R
- Power form 3
- P = V squared / R
- Ammeter
- In series, reads current
- Voltmeter
- In parallel, reads voltage
Power Triangle
P on top, V and I below
P = V x II = P / VV = P / I
Ammeter vs Voltmeter
Ammeter
- Wired in series
- Reads current, in amps
- Very low resistance
Voltmeter
- Wired in parallel
- Reads potential difference
- Very high resistance
Through versus across
Series vs Parallel Circuits
- Series resistance
- Add them: R1 + R2
- Series current
- Same at every point
- Series voltage
- Splits across the components
- Two 6 ohm, series
- 12 ohms total
- 12 V across 12 ohms
- 1 A drawn
- Parallel resistance
- Below the smallest resistor
- Identical pair, parallel
- Half of one resistor
- Two 6 ohm, parallel
- 3 ohms total
- 12 V across 3 ohms
- 4 A drawn
- Parallel voltage
- Full supply each branch
- Switch opens, series
- Everything stops
- Switch opens, parallel
- Only that branch stops
- Meter after the split
- Reads one branch only
- Meter before the split
- Reads the total current
Conductors and Insulators
- Best conductor
- Silver, then copper
- Why copper wiring
- Balances cost and conductivity
- Good conductors
- Metals with free electrons
- Insulators
- Rubber, glass, plastic, ceramic
- Worst conductor asked
- Pick the non-metal
- Pure water
- Poor conductor
- Salty water
- Conducts well
- Fuse
- Melts and breaks the circuit
- Cell vs battery
- Battery is joined cells
Lever Classes 1-2-3
1 pivot, 2 load, 3 effort - in the middle
Class 1: seesawClass 2: wheelbarrowClass 3: tweezers
Small Driver vs Big Driver
Small gear drives
- Big gear turns slower
- More torque delivered
- Ratio from tooth counts
Big gear drives
- Small gear turns faster
- Less torque delivered
- Same ratio inverted
Speed traded for force
Mechanical Principle Picker
- Beam balanced on pivot→Moments equation(Distance from pivot)
- Ropes lifting a block→Count supporting ropes(That is MA)
- Two meshed gears→Tooth count ratio(Directions alternate)
- Middle gear in train→Ignore for ratio(Idler only)
- Piston squeezing gas→Pressure rises(Volume falls)
- Two hydraulic pistons→Same pressure throughout(Force follows area)
- Force on small area→Pressure formula(P = F / A)
- Machine seems free→Reject the option(No extra energy)
Levers and Moments
- Load
- 19 questions, 13 minutes
- Moment
- Force x perpendicular distance
- Balance rule
- Effort x distance = load x distance
- 200 N at 0.5 m
- 50 N at 2 m
- Measure from
- The pivot, not the end
- Class 1
- Pivot between effort, load
- Class 2
- Load between pivot, effort
- Class 3
- Effort between pivot, load
- Class 1 examples
- Seesaw, crowbar, scissors
- Class 2 examples
- Wheelbarrow, nutcracker, bottle opener
- Class 3 examples
- Tweezers, tongs, fishing rod
- Longer effort arm
- Less force, more movement
No Free Lunch
Gain force, lose distance - never gain energy
MA = load / effortFriction costs efficiencyWork in = work out
Springs: Series vs Parallel
Series springs
- Extensions add up
- Softer overall
- Same force in each
Parallel springs
- Load shared between them
- Stiffer overall
- Same extension each
Softer versus stiffer
Pulleys and Gears
- Fixed pulley
- Changes direction only
- Fixed pulley MA
- 1
- Movable pulley
- Halves the effort
- What to count
- Ropes supporting the moving block
- Four ropes, 400 N
- 100 N effort
- Rope pulled
- Four metres per metre lifted
- Meshed gears
- Turn in opposite directions
- Gear speed
- Inversely proportional to teeth
- 20 teeth drives 60
- One third the speed
- Torque trade
- Slower means more torque
- Idler gear
- Reverses direction, ratio unchanged
- Odd gear count
- Last matches first direction
- Belt, uncrossed
- Same direction as driver
- Belt, crossed
- Reverses the driven pulley
Pressure vs Force
Force
- Measured in newtons
- A push or pull
- Independent of area
Pressure
- Force / area
- Measured in pascals
- Area changes it
Push versus push spread
Pressure, Fluids, Springs
- Pressure
- P = F / A
- Smaller area
- Higher pressure, same force
- Sealed gas compressed
- Pressure rises
- Halve the volume
- Pressure doubles
- Liquids
- Effectively incompressible
- Hydraulic rule
- Pressure acts equally throughout
- Bigger output piston
- Bigger output force
- Hydraulic trade
- More force, less movement
- Hooke's law
- Extension proportional to force
- Springs in series
- Softer, extends more
- Springs in parallel
- Stiffer, extends less
- Upthrust
- Weight of displaced fluid
Tools, Scales, Friction
- Spanner
- Tightens nuts and bolts
- Scale 1:4
- Drawing is quarter size
- Scale 1:1
- Drawing at full size
- Micrometer
- Measures small thicknesses precisely
- Vernier caliper
- Measures internal, external, depth
- Friction depends on
- Materials and normal force
- Contact area
- No effect on hard surfaces
- Static vs sliding
- Static friction is greater
- Wide tyre
- Spreads load on soft ground
- Inclined plane
- Less force, longer distance
- Screw
- Inclined plane wrapped round
Mechanical Advantage
- MA
- Load / effort
- Velocity ratio
- Effort distance / load distance
- Efficiency
- Work out / work in
- Work
- Force x distance
- Force gained
- Distance always lost
- No machine gives
- Extra energy or work
- Friction
- Loses energy as heat
Common Traps
Work rate is not maths
Coding grids ≠ Not rate calculations
Rotation versus mirror
Turning preserves order ≠ Mirroring reverses it
Ammeter versus voltmeter
Series reads current ≠ Parallel reads voltage
Series versus parallel resistance
Series adds up ≠ Parallel drops below smallest
Decimal hours versus minutes
0.5 hours ≠ 30 minutes, not 50
Some versus some not
Some allows all ≠ Never proves an exception
Idler gear versus ratio
Changes direction only ≠ Never changes the ratio
Force advantage versus energy
Machines multiply force ≠ Never create energy
Beam length versus pivot distance
Measure from pivot ≠ Not the whole beam
Practice screen versus test screen
Phone fine for practice ≠ 10.2 inches for real
Paper allowed versus AI banned
Pencil and paper fine ≠ ChatGPT counts as cheating
Published counts versus unpublished rules
Section loads published ≠ Pass mark not published
Last Minute
- 1.Six tests, eight timed parts
- 2.128 questions, 69 timed minutes
- 3.No pass mark; roles set scores
- 4.Work rate = coding, not arithmetic
- 5.Some means at least one
- 6.Percentages: build from 10% blocks
- 7.0.5 hours = 30 minutes
- 8.Combined work: t = ab/(a+b)
- 9.Mirror image is never rotation
- 10.Both 3D dots must match
- 11.Ohm's law: V = I x R
- 12.Series adds; parallel drops resistance
- 13.Ammeter series; voltmeter parallel
- 14.Moments: force x distance from pivot
- 15.Pulley MA = supporting rope count
- 16.Meshed gears turn opposite ways
- 17.Idler changes direction, not ratio
- 18.No calculator; paper and pencil
- 19.AI tools count as cheating
- 20.Link 14 days, one sitting
- 21.Real test needs 10.2-inch screen
- 22.Guess before leaving any blank
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