What the task is
Word problems, percentages, units and quick sums, done with no calculator and a short clock. The numbers are chosen to be workable in the head; the skill is not brute force but choosing the fastest exact route.
The core tricks
Round to a friendly number, do the easy sum, then correct the small difference. Split a percentage into parts (10% plus 5% plus 1%) instead of chasing it whole. Keep units straight before you multiply, and multiply in the order that keeps numbers small.
Estimate first, then compute. The estimate tells you which of the options can even be right, so you never spend a long calculation on a wrong answer.
A fixed order
- Read the question twice; the operation is often the easy part and the wording the trap.
- Estimate the answer before calculating, and hold the options against it.
- Compute with rounding and splitting, then correct.
- Check the unit and the size of the answer before you commit.
How to practice
Do short sets under a clock, not long ones without. Ten sums in two minutes trains the same muscle the test uses; a page of sums with no timer trains precision without speed. Practise percentages and unit conversions most, because they recur.
MSc Psychology, 7 years of test taking.
Last updated: Oct 27, 2026