Professional & Subprofessional · English

Numerical Ability sample questions

Numerical Ability appears in both levels and covers basic operations, number sequences, and word problems. Calculators are prohibited at your seat, so practice every item by hand.

Start the questionsAll subjects
Questions
8
Topics
3
Price
Free
  • 1,900+ original items
  • Worked explanation on every item
  • Prepaid · no auto-renew
  • Independent — not CSC
  • Built for mobile 4G

Practice

8 Numerical Ability questions

Choose your answer, then open the explanation. Original practice items written to match CSC's official topics — not actual exam questions.

1Basic operations

What is 3/4 + 2/3?

  1. A. 5/7
  2. B. 1 5/12
  3. C. 1 1/6
  4. D. 17/24
Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. 1 5/12 Use the common denominator 12: 9/12 + 8/12 = 17/12, which is 1 5/12. Adding numerators and denominators straight across (5/7) is the classic trap.

2Basic operations

What is 0.25 × 48 ÷ 0.5?

  1. A. 6
  2. B. 12
  3. C. 24
  4. D. 96
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. 24 Work left to right: 0.25 × 48 = 12, then 12 ÷ 0.5 = 24. Dividing by 0.5 is the same as multiplying by 2.

3Basic operations

What is 15% of 840?

  1. A. 112
  2. B. 126
  3. C. 134
  4. D. 140
Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. 126 10% of 840 is 84 and 5% is 42, so 15% is 84 + 42 = 126. Splitting a percent into easy parts is faster than long multiplication.

4Number sequence

What number comes next? 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, ___

  1. A. 95
  2. B. 125
  3. C. 127
  4. D. 129
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. 127 Each term is the previous term × 2 + 1: 63 × 2 + 1 = 127. You can also see the differences double: 4, 8, 16, 32, 64.

5Number sequence

What number comes next? 2, 6, 5, 15, 14, 42, ___

  1. A. 41
  2. B. 43
  3. C. 84
  4. D. 126
Show answer and explanation

Answer: A. 41 The pattern alternates × 3 and − 1: 2 × 3 = 6, 6 − 1 = 5, 5 × 3 = 15, 15 − 1 = 14, 14 × 3 = 42, 42 − 1 = 41.

6Word problems

A clerk encodes 45 forms per hour. How many hours will it take to encode 360 forms?

  1. A. 6
  2. B. 7
  3. C. 8
  4. D. 9
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. 8 Divide the total by the rate: 360 ÷ 45 = 8 hours.

7Word problems

An item costs ₱1,200. It is discounted by 20%, then a 5% tax is added to the discounted price. What is the final price?

  1. A. ₱1,008
  2. B. ₱1,020
  3. C. ₱1,140
  4. D. ₱960
Show answer and explanation

Answer: A. ₱1,008 Discounted price: 1,200 × 0.80 = 960. Add 5% tax: 960 × 1.05 = 1,008. Subtracting 20% and adding 5% to the original (₱1,020) is the trap.

8Word problems

Ana is three times as old as Ben. In 10 years, Ana will be twice as old as Ben. How old is Ben now?

  1. A. 5
  2. B. 10
  3. C. 15
  4. D. 20
Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. 10 Let Ben = B, Ana = 3B. In 10 years: 3B + 10 = 2(B + 10), so 3B + 10 = 2B + 20 and B = 10. Check: Ana is 30; in 10 years, 40 = 2 × 20.

Missed a few?

Review Numerical Ability by topic

Free reviewer notes for each topic, with worked examples.

FAQ

About Numerical Ability

Can I use a calculator in the Civil Service Exam?

No. CSC's examination announcement lists calculators of any kind, including watch calculators, among the items prohibited at the examinee's seat.

What topics are in Numerical Ability?

Basic operations, number sequence, and word problems, according to CSC's scope of examination. It appears in both Professional and Subprofessional.

How do I get faster at Numerical Ability?

Practice mental math shortcuts for percents and fractions, and drill timed sets so you learn when to skip an item and come back.

More sample questions

See where you stand in every subject

The free diagnostic maps your strengths and weak topics across the whole Civil Service Exam.

Take the free diagnosticExam coverage