British Army Recruit Battery (BARB) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Which formula correctly expresses the relationship between distance (D), speed (S), and time (T)?

S = D × T
D = S × T (Correct answer)
D = S + T
T = D × S

Correct answer: D = S × T

Distance equals speed multiplied by time: D = S × T.

Question 2: The figures change in a certain sequence. Determine which of the image marked with letters A to F should be in the empty space?

E (Correct answer)
F
C
B
D
A

Correct answer: E

The correct figure follows the pattern established by the sequence—tracking changes in shape position, rotation, or element count across each step. Option E is the only choice that continues all observed pattern rules simultaneously; the other options break at least one rule.

Question 3: Statement: 'All field engineers carry a radio. Sergeant Walsh carries a radio.' Conclusion: 'Sergeant Walsh is a field engineer.' Is the conclusion true?

Yes
Only on operations
Cannot say (Correct answer)
No

Correct answer: Cannot say

Others besides field engineers may carry radios, so we cannot confirm Sergeant Walsh's role.

Question 4: A convoy averages 40 km/h for the first 2 hours and 60 km/h for the next 3 hours. What is the total distance?

260 km
260 km
250 km
220 km (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 220 km

First leg: 40 × 2 = 80 km; Second leg: 60 × 3 = 180 km; Total = 260 km.

Question 5: Statement: 'Some army bases have a swimming pool. Base Bravo is an army base.' Conclusion: 'Base Bravo has a swimming pool.' Is the conclusion true?

No
Only in warm climates
Cannot say (Correct answer)
Yes

Correct answer: Cannot say

'Some' bases have pools, but we do not know whether Base Bravo is one of them.

Question 6: How many pairs match? Set A: KL MN OP | Set B: KL MO OP

1
0
3
2 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 2

KL matches KL and OP matches OP, but MN ≠ MO, giving 2 matching pairs.

Question 7: A soldier must cover 100 km. He cycles the first 40 km at 20 km/h and drives the remaining 60 km at 60 km/h. What is the total time?

2 hours 30 min
3 hours
3 hours 30 min
2 hours (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 2 hours

Cycling: 40 ÷ 20 = 2 hrs; Driving: 60 ÷ 60 = 1 hr; Total = 3 hours.

Question 8: Water flows through a pipe that narrows from 4 cm to 2 cm in diameter. What happens to the water's speed?

It doubles
It stays the same
It quadruples (Correct answer)
It halves

Correct answer: It quadruples

Cross-sectional area is proportional to diameter squared; halving diameter reduces area by 4×, so speed increases 4×.

Question 9: Which word is most closely associated with 'VIGILANCE'?

LAZINESS
DISTRACTION
SLEEP
ALERTNESS (Correct answer)

Correct answer: ALERTNESS

'ALERTNESS' is most closely associated with 'VIGILANCE' as vigilance means the state of being watchful and alert to danger.

Question 10: Statement: 'Most recruits score above 50 on the BARB. Recruit Patel is taking the BARB.' Conclusion: 'Recruit Patel will score above 50.' Is the conclusion true?

Yes
Likely but not certain
No
Cannot say (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Cannot say

'Most' provides probability but not certainty — Recruit Patel's individual score is unknown.

Question 11: Statement: 'All vehicles in the convoy are armoured. Vehicle 4 is in the convoy.' Conclusion: 'Vehicle 4 is armoured.' Is the conclusion true?

Cannot say
Yes (Correct answer)
Sometimes
No

Correct answer: Yes

Vehicle 4 is in the convoy and all convoy vehicles are armoured, so Vehicle 4 must be armoured.

Question 12: Which word is most closely associated with 'COMBATANT'?

CIVILIAN
FIGHTER (Correct answer)
ENGINEER
MEDIC

Correct answer: FIGHTER

'FIGHTER' is most closely associated with 'COMBATANT' as a combatant is defined as someone who fights in a combat situation.

Question 13: A helicopter flies 300 km in 1.5 hours. What is its speed?

250 km/h
150 km/h
200 km/h (Correct answer)
180 km/h

Correct answer: 200 km/h

Speed = 300 ÷ 1.5 = 200 km/h.

Question 14: How many pairs match? Set A: WX YZ AB | Set B: WX YZ CD

2 (Correct answer)
0
3
1

Correct answer: 2

WX and YZ both match, but AB ≠ CD, giving 2 matching pairs.

Question 15: A screw has a pitch of 2 mm. How many full turns are needed to advance it 10 mm?

5 turns (Correct answer)
3 turns
4 turns
6 turns

Correct answer: 5 turns

Turns = Distance ÷ Pitch = 10 ÷ 2 = 5 turns.

Question 16: How many stores in both groups have a turnover of £250,001 or more?

558 (Correct answer)
466
8
458
11

Correct answer: 558

To find stores in both groups with turnover of £250,001 or more, you add the chain store count and local designer shop count for that turnover band. The other options result from reading only one group, misreading the row, or adding incorrect rows from the table.

Question 17: A lever has its fulcrum in the middle. A 10 kg load is placed 2 m to the left. Where must a 5 kg effort be placed on the right to balance it?

4 m (Correct answer)
2 m
3 m
1 m

Correct answer: 4 m

Moment = Force × Distance; 10 × 2 = 20 Nm; 5 × d = 20; d = 4 m.

Question 18: A patrol departs at 08:00 and must arrive 120 km away by 10:00. What speed is required?

70 km/h
60 km/h (Correct answer)
50 km/h
80 km/h

Correct answer: 60 km/h

Available time = 2 hours; Speed = 120 ÷ 2 = 60 km/h.

Question 19: What is the best strategy for maximising your score on the BARB Letter Checking subtest?

Focus only on the first letter of each pair
Skip difficult items and return later
Read each pair aloud to yourself
Scan each pair quickly from left to right without second-guessing (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Scan each pair quickly from left to right without second-guessing

Rapid, systematic scanning from left to right minimises hesitation and maximises the number of items answered correctly.

Question 20: In the BARB Letter Checking task, which answer correctly counts the matching pairs? Set A: XY PQ RS | Set B: XY PQ RT

3
2 (Correct answer)
0
1

Correct answer: 2

XY matches XY and PQ matches PQ, so there are 2 matching pairs.

Question 21: A pulley system uses two pulleys. What effect does adding a second pulley have?

It doubles the required effort
It triples the rope length needed
It has no effect on effort
It halves the effort needed to lift a load (Correct answer)

Correct answer: It halves the effort needed to lift a load

A two-pulley system provides a mechanical advantage of 2, halving the effort required.

Question 22: What score represents the maximum possible matching pairs in a single BARB Letter Checking item?

2
5
4
3 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 3

Each BARB Letter Checking item contains exactly 3 pairs, so the maximum score is 3.

Question 23: A soldier jogs at 8 km/h for 45 minutes. How far does he travel?

4 km
5 km
7 km
6 km (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 6 km

45 minutes = 0.75 hours; Distance = 8 × 0.75 = 6 km.

Question 24: All Stand-up comedians are optimistic. If you are a violinist, then you must be optimistic, then you are neither a violinist nor a Stand-up comedian.

Conclusion follows (Correct answer)
Conclusion does not follow

Correct answer: Conclusion follows

By contrapositive logic: if all stand-up comedians are optimistic, then anyone who is not optimistic is not a stand-up comedian; similarly, if being a violinist requires being optimistic, then anyone who is not optimistic is not a violinist. Applying both contrapositives to a non-optimistic person leads directly to the stated conclusion.

Question 25: In the BARB Letter Checking subtest, you are shown two sets of letter pairs. How many pairs match? Set A: AB CD EF | Set B: AB CE EF

0
3
2 (Correct answer)
1

Correct answer: 2

AB matches AB and EF matches EF, giving 2 matching pairs.

Question 26: Which answer best describes the format of questions in the BARB Reasoning subtest?

Rotated shape comparisons
Multiple choice arithmetic problems
Sentence-based logical deductions with true/false/cannot say options (Correct answer)
Verbal synonym matching

Correct answer: Sentence-based logical deductions with true/false/cannot say options

The Reasoning subtest presents verbal statements and asks candidates to evaluate whether a conclusion logically follows.

Question 27: Which word is most closely associated with 'AMMUNITION'?

UNIFORM
RATIONS
BOOTS
BULLETS (Correct answer)

Correct answer: BULLETS

'BULLETS' is most closely associated with 'AMMUNITION' as bullets are the primary type of ammunition used in firearms.

Question 28: Statement: 'All morning drills start at 0600. Today's drill started at 0600.' Conclusion: 'Today's drill is a morning drill.' Is the conclusion true?

Yes
Cannot say (Correct answer)
Only on weekdays
No

Correct answer: Cannot say

Other drills might also start at 0600, so we cannot confirm the drill is a morning drill.

Question 29: A wheel has a radius of 0.5 m and rotates at 2 revolutions per second. What is the linear speed of a point on its rim?

4π m/s
π m/s
3π m/s
2π m/s (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 2π m/s

Circumference = 2π × 0.5 = π m; Linear speed = π × 2 = 2π m/s.

Question 30: A soldier uses a ramp to load a heavy crate onto a truck. What mechanical advantage does the ramp provide?

It has no mechanical advantage
It increases both distance and force
It increases the distance but reduces the required force (Correct answer)
It reduces both distance and force

Correct answer: It increases the distance but reduces the required force

A ramp (inclined plane) reduces the force required by spreading the work over a longer distance.

British Army Recruit Battery (BARB)

The BARB test is a computer-based aptitude assessment used by the British Army to evaluate candidates' suitability for military roles, measuring reasoning, perception, numerical, mechanical, and work rate abilities to produce a General Trainability Index (GTI) score.

Questions

12 min

Time Limit

70%

To Pass

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