Candidate preparation guide
Numerical and Verbal Reasoning Tests in Police Recruitment
Numerical and Verbal Reasoning Tests in Police Recruitment explains verbal reasoning preparation the way a careful candidate would approach it: learn the exact task, work through original examples, diagnose mistakes, and verify changeable rules against your current candidate pack.
Quick answer
Verbal reasoning asks you to interpret written information, while numerical reasoning asks you to interpret numbers, tables, ratios, and percentages. Both reward careful reading and timed decision-making.
Numerical practice
6-question numerical diagnostic
This attempt uses 6 questions from a 12-question numerical bank, so your next attempt is completely different.
Verbal and numerical reasoning side by side
Verbal questions test stated meaning and logical inference. Numerical questions test calculation and data interpretation. In both, work from the information supplied rather than an assumption.
A numerical-style example
A unit recorded 40 incidents in one week and 50 the next. The increase is 10 incidents, or 25%. Show the working: 10 divided by 40, then multiply by 100.
A joined-up study plan
Alternate skill sessions, then mix both types near the assessment date. Add time pressure only after your explanations show that the underlying method is sound.
Use units to control numerical answers
Write the unit beside every figure before calculating: incidents, officers, minutes, or percentage points. A correct calculation using the wrong group or unit is still a wrong interpretation of the table.
Switch cleanly between test sections
Verbal items need evidence labels; numerical items need working and units. In mixed preparation, keep those review methods separate so a calculation error is not logged as a reading error and an unsupported inference is not treated as arithmetic.
Verbal and numerical demands compared
The sections can share a timed battery but require different visible working.
| Aspect | Verbal reasoning | Numerical reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Source material | Passages, instructions, statements, or policies | Tables, charts, schedules, quantities, or rates |
| Core decision | Supported, contradicted, or not established | Correct operation, group, unit, and result |
| Useful annotation | Qualifier and controlling sentence | Known values, formula, and unit |
| Frequent error | Adding an unstated assumption | Calculating the wrong subset correctly |
| Review evidence | Quote the words that decide the claim | Show the calculation and reasonableness check |
Worked ratio and percentage example
A fictional unit records 24 daytime reports and 16 evening reports. Daytime reports are 24 of 40, so they represent 60% of the total; the daytime-to-evening ratio is 24:16, simplified to 3:2. If a statement claims daytime reports were 50% higher than evening reports, calculate the difference of 8, divide by the evening baseline of 16, and obtain 50%. The base quantity matters: dividing by 24 would answer a different question.
Try the numerical component
Work through original percentages, ratios, tables, and elapsed-time questions while showing units for every calculation.
Continue preparingFrequently asked questions
Do all police forces test verbal and numerical reasoning?
No. The mix depends on the force, role, route, and provider. Prepare both only when current candidate material identifies them or when you are building a broader aptitude baseline.
Can I use a calculator on police numerical reasoning tests?
Calculator rules vary. Practise the official rule shown in your candidate pack rather than assuming that a calculator is either always allowed or always prohibited.
Which is harder, verbal or numerical reasoning?
Difficulty depends on your baseline and the test conditions. Compare accuracy and pace separately so a weakness in percentages is not hidden by strong passage comprehension.
How much maths is usually needed?
Common aptitude work uses arithmetic, percentages, ratios, averages, elapsed time, and tables. The published test specification is the only dependable scope for your assessment.