100+ Free ALES Practice Questions

Prepare for the ALES — Academic Staff and Graduate Education Entrance Examination (Turkey) exam with instant access — no signup required.

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: ALES Exam

100

Total Questions

ÖSYM Official Syllabus

150 min

Exam Duration

ÖSYM Official Syllabus

5 Years

Score Validity

ÖSYM Official Guidelines

1,200 TRY

Exam Fee

ÖSYM AIS

The ALES exam is Turkey's standardized graduate entrance exam administered by ÖSYM, featuring 100 multiple-choice questions (50 Quantitative and 50 Verbal) over 150 minutes. Scores are valid for 5 years. The official exam is administered in Turkish; this practice bank provides an English-language MCQ study adaptation for international students and English-speaking candidates.

Sample ALES Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your ALES exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1If x and y are positive integers such that 3x + 5y = 47, what is the maximum possible value of x + y?

A.11

B.13

C.15

D.17

Explanation: To maximize x + y, solve 3x + 5y = 47 over positive integers by writing x = (47 - 5y) / 3. Only y values that make 47 - 5y a positive multiple of 3 work: y = 1 gives x = 14 and x + y = 15; y = 4 gives x = 9 and x + y = 13; y = 7 gives x = 4 and x + y = 11. Because 5 is the larger coefficient, trading y down for x up raises the total, so the smallest workable y gives the maximum. The maximum value of x + y is therefore 15.

2A train traveling at a constant speed of 72 km/h crosses a 400-meter long tunnel in 30 seconds. What is the length of the train in meters?

A.150 meters

B.200 meters

C.250 meters

D.300 meters

Explanation: First convert the train's speed from km/h to m/s: 72 km/h = 72 * (1000 m / 3600 s) = 20 m/s. The total distance covered by the train in 30 seconds is Speed * Time = 20 m/s * 30 s = 600 meters. The total distance equals the length of the train plus the length of the tunnel: Length_train + 400 m = 600 m. Therefore, Length_train = 600 - 400 = 200 meters.

3In a right triangle ABC, angle B is 90 degrees, AB = 6 cm, and BC = 8 cm. A semicircle is drawn with diameter AC. What is the area of the semicircle in square centimeters?

A.12.5π

B.25π

C.50π

D.100π

Explanation: By the Pythagorean theorem, the hypotenuse AC = sqrt(AB^2 + BC^2) = sqrt(6^2 + 8^2) = sqrt(36 + 64) = sqrt(100) = 10 cm. Since AC is the diameter of the semicircle, the radius r = AC / 2 = 5 cm. The area of a semicircle is (1/2) * π * r^2 = (1/2) * π * 5^2 = (25/2)π = 12.5π cm^2.

4A merchant buys an item for ₺400 and marks up the price by 40%. During a promotional sale, the merchant offers a 25% discount on the marked price. What is the final selling price of the item?

A.₺420

B.₺440

C.₺460

D.₺480

Explanation: Marked price = Cost * (1 + markup rate) = 400 * 1.40 = ₺560. Final selling price after a 25% discount = Marked Price * (1 - 0.25) = 560 * 0.75 = ₺420.

5Worker A can complete a project in 12 days, while Worker B can complete the same project in 18 days. If Worker A works alone for 4 days and then Worker B joins A to finish the remaining work together, how many total days does it take to complete the project?

A.7.2 days

B.8.8 days

C.9.6 days

D.10.4 days

Explanation: Worker A's daily rate is 1/12 and Worker B's is 1/18. In 4 days A alone completes 4 * (1/12) = 1/3 of the project, leaving 2/3. Their combined rate is 1/12 + 1/18 = (3 + 2) / 36 = 5/36 per day, so the remaining 2/3 takes (2/3) / (5/36) = 24/5 = 4.8 days. Total elapsed time is 4 + 4.8 = 8.8 days.

6What is the sum of all integer values of x that satisfy the inequality |2x - 7| <= 9?

A.28

B.31

C.35

D.40

Explanation: The inequality |2x - 7| <= 9 simplifies to -9 <= 2x - 7 <= 9. Adding 7 to all parts yields -2 <= 2x <= 16, which divides by 2 to give -1 <= x <= 8. The integer solutions are -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The sum of these 10 integers is (-1 + 1) + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 = 35.

7The arithmetic mean of 5 distinct positive integers is 24. If the largest integer is 50, what is the smallest possible value for the second largest integer?

A.16

B.18

C.19

D.21

Explanation: Let the 5 distinct positive integers in increasing order be a < b < c < d < e, where e = 50. Their sum is 5 * 24 = 120, so a + b + c + d + 50 = 120, which means a + b + c + d = 70. To minimize d, we maximize a, b, and c by setting c = d - 1, b = d - 2, and a = d - 3. Substituting gives (d - 3) + (d - 2) + (d - 1) + d = 70, leading to 4d - 6 = 70, so 4d = 76 and d = 19. The integers are 16, 17, 18, 19, and 50, making 19 the smallest possible value for the second largest integer.

8A bag contains 4 red balls, 5 blue balls, and 3 green balls. If two balls are drawn at random without replacement, what is the probability that both drawn balls are of the same color?

A.19/66

B.23/66

C.29/66

D.31/66

Explanation: Total balls = 4 + 5 + 3 = 12. Total ways to pick 2 balls without replacement = C(12, 2) = (12 * 11) / 2 = 66. Favorable outcomes: Both red = C(4, 2) = 6. Both blue = C(5, 2) = 10. Both green = C(3, 2) = 3. Total favorable outcomes = 6 + 10 + 3 = 19. Probability = 19/66.

9How many 3-digit positive integers can be formed using the digits {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} without repetition such that the resulting number is divisible by 5?

A.20

B.25

C.30

D.36

Explanation: For a number to be divisible by 5, its units digit must be 0 or 5. Among the given set {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}, only 5 is available for the units place (1 choice). For the hundreds place, we can pick any of the remaining 5 digits (5 choices). For the tens place, we can pick any of the remaining 4 digits (4 choices). Total numbers = 5 * 4 * 1 = 20.

10If 2^(x+1) + 2^(x+3) = 160, what is the value of x?

A.3

B.4

C.5

D.6

Explanation: Factor out 2^x from the equation: 2^x * 2^1 + 2^x * 2^3 = 160 => 2^x * (2 + 8) = 160 => 2^x * 10 = 160 => 2^x = 16. Since 16 = 2^4, we have x = 4.

About the ALES Exam

The Academic Staff and Graduate Education Entrance Examination (ALES) is Turkey's national entrance test for Master's and PhD admission as well as academic staff positions in Turkish universities, administered by ÖSYM.

Assessment

100 multiple-choice questions (50 Sayısal / Quantitative + 50 Sözel / Verbal) in one 150-minute session

Time Limit

150 minutes

Passing Score

Varies by target graduate program (minimum 55 points for Master's/PhD; 70+ points for academic staff positions)

Exam Fee

1,200 TRY (Ölçme, Seçme ve Yerleştirme Merkezi (ÖSYM))

ALES Exam Content Outline

50%

Quantitative Reasoning (Sayısal)

Mathematics, algebra, geometry, word problems, data interpretation, and quantitative logic.

50%

Verbal Reasoning (Sözel)

Reading comprehension, paragraph logic, sentence completion, and verbal reasoning.

How to Pass the ALES Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Varies by target graduate program (minimum 55 points for Master's/PhD; 70+ points for academic staff positions)
Assessment: 100 multiple-choice questions (50 Sayısal / Quantitative + 50 Sözel / Verbal) in one 150-minute session
Time limit: 150 minutes
Exam fee: 1,200 TRY

Keys to Passing

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

ALES Study Tips from Top Performers

1Pace yourself to spend approximately 1.5 minutes per question across the 150-minute testing period.

2Because four wrong answers cancel one correct answer, guess only when you can eliminate at least one option.

3Weight your revision toward paragraph work: paragraf items dominate the 50-question Sözel test, far outnumbering vocabulary items.

4In the Sayısal test, sayısal mantık and table/graph interpretation together account for roughly twenty of the fifty questions, so drill them alongside core algebra and geometry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the structure of the ALES exam?

The official ALES consists of 100 multiple-choice questions (50 Quantitative and 50 Verbal) with a total time limit of 150 minutes.

What score is required to pass ALES?

There is no single national pass mark. Universities require at least 55 points for Master's/PhD admissions, and 70+ points for academic appointments, with higher cutoffs for competitive faculties.

How long is an ALES score valid?

ALES exam results are valid for 5 years, counted from the date ÖSYM announces the score rather than the date you sat the exam.

Do wrong answers reduce your ALES score?

Yes. Within each test, one quarter of your wrong answers is subtracted from your correct answers, so four wrong answers cancel one correct answer. Leaving an item blank costs nothing.

Is this practice bank in Turkish like the real ALES?

No. The official ALES is administered only in Turkish, and its Sözel test assesses Türkçe. This free bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation of the same quantitative and verbal reasoning skills, intended for English-speaking and international candidates; it is not an official translation or a simulation of the Turkish paper.