Basic Ability Test — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A two-column table shows hours worked and pay earned. If 8 hours = $96 and 5 hours = $60, what is the hourly rate?

$8
$12 (Correct answer)
$10
$15

Correct answer: $12

96 ÷ 8 = $12 per hour (confirmed: 60 ÷ 5 = $12).

Question 2: A table shows test scores for 5 students: 72, 85, 90, 68, 95. Which score represents the median?

82
90
85 (Correct answer)
72

Correct answer: 85

Ordered: 68, 72, 85, 90, 95 — the middle (3rd) value is 85.

Question 3: ABRIDGED : SHORTENED :: VERBOSE : ?

Loud
Quiet
Wordy (Correct answer)
Brief

Correct answer: Wordy

Abridged means shortened just as verbose means wordy or using excessive words.

Question 4: Each term in a sequence is obtained by multiplying the previous term by 3 and subtracting 1: 2, 5, 14, 41, ___. What comes next?

120
122 (Correct answer)
123
124

Correct answer: 122

41 × 3 − 1 = 123 − 1 = 122.

Question 5: A bar graph shows defect rates: Machine A: 3%, Machine B: 7%, Machine C: 5%, Machine D: 2%. Which machine has the lowest defect rate?

Machine A
Machine C
Machine B
Machine D (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Machine D

Machine D's defect rate of 2% is the lowest among all machines.

Question 6: A pattern shows shapes shrinking: the first shape has 8 units, the second 4, the third 2. What size is the fifth shape?

0.5 (Correct answer)
1
0.25
0.75

Correct answer: 0.5

Each shape is half the previous: 8, 4, 2, 1, 0.5 — the fifth shape is 0.5 units.

Question 7: A directory lists: Room 201-Marketing, 202-Sales, 203-HR, 204-Finance, 205-IT. A copy reads: 'Room 201-Marketing, 202-Sales, 204-HR, 203-Finance, 205-IT.' Which departments were switched?

Finance and IT
Sales and HR
Marketing and Sales
HR and Finance (Correct answer)

Correct answer: HR and Finance

In the copy, HR is assigned to Room 204 and Finance to Room 203, but the original has HR in 203 and Finance in 204 — the two are swapped.

Question 8: Each figure in a sequence gains one side: triangle, square, pentagon, ___. What comes next?

Heptagon
Octagon
Circle
Hexagon (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Hexagon

Each shape adds one side: triangle (3), square (4), pentagon (5), hexagon (6).

Question 9: Which of the following dates is written in a different format than the other three?

09/05/2023
04/15/2023
2023/11/12 (Correct answer)
07/30/2023

Correct answer: 2023/11/12

Options A, B, and D all use MM/DD/YYYY format, while option C uses YYYY/MM/DD format, making it the inconsistent entry.

Question 10: A form requires a Social Security Number in the format XXX-XX-XXXX. Which entry is correctly formatted?

234-56-789
1234-56-789
12-345-6789
123-45-6789 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 123-45-6789

The format XXX-XX-XXXX requires 3 digits, a dash, 2 digits, a dash, and 4 digits — which only option B (123-45-6789) satisfies.

Question 11: If the temperature drops from 5°F to −15°F, by how many degrees did it drop?

15°F
20°F (Correct answer)
25°F
10°F

Correct answer: 20°F

Change = 5 − (−15) = 5 + 15 = 20°F.

Question 12: In a sequence of figures, the number of sides increases by 1 and the color alternates between black and white. Figure 1 is a black triangle. What is figure 4?

Black hexagon
White hexagon
White hexagon (Correct answer)
Black pentagon

Correct answer: White hexagon

Figure 4 has 3 + 3 = 6 sides (hexagon) and alternates to white (odd=black, even=white).

Question 13: A 3x3 grid contains various shapes. In each row, the third figure is created by combining the shapes from the first and second figures. If the first figure in a row is a large circle and the second figure is a small square inside the large circle, what is the logical third figure in that row?

A large circle with a small square inside. (Correct answer)
A large circle next to a small square.
A large circle with a small circle inside.
A large square.

Correct answer: A large circle with a small square inside.

The rule for each row is based on the principle of superposition or combination. The elements of the first two figures are merged to create the third. Therefore, the small square from the second figure is added inside the large circle from the first figure.

Question 14: What comes next? 1, 3, 7, 15, 31, ___?

47
65
63 (Correct answer)
57

Correct answer: 63

Each term is doubled and then 1 is added: (31 × 2) + 1 = 63.

Question 15: How many vowels appear in the phrase 'PERCEPTUAL ACCURACY TEST'?

6
9
7
8 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 8

The vowels are E, E, U, A in PERCEPTUAL; A, U, A in ACCURACY; and E in TEST — 8 total.

Question 16: A form instruction reads: 'Enter your full legal name (Last, First Middle).' Which entry correctly follows this instruction?

Smith John, Michael
John Michael Smith
J. M. Smith
Smith, John Michael (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Smith, John Michael

The instruction calls for Last name first, followed by a comma, then First and Middle names — only option B follows this format exactly.

Question 17: An employee record shows: Name: Sandra Reeves, DOB: 07/22/1985, Employee ID: E-7734, Start Date: 01/08/2015. Which entry below contains a discrepancy?

Reeves, Sandra, 07/22/1985, ID: E-7743, hired 01/08/2015 (Correct answer)
Sandra Reeves, born July 22, 1985, ID E-7734, started January 8, 2015
Employee E-7734: Sandra Reeves (b. 1985) started Jan 2015
Sandra Reeves, DOB 07/22/1985, E-7734, began 01/08/2015

Correct answer: Reeves, Sandra, 07/22/1985, ID: E-7743, hired 01/08/2015

Option C lists the employee ID as E-7743, but the original record shows E-7734 — the last two digits are transposed.

Question 18: A graph compares actual vs. projected sales. Actual sales were $180,000 while projected sales were $200,000. By what percentage did actual sales fall short of projections?

9%
10% (Correct answer)
11%
20%

Correct answer: 10%

Shortfall = $20,000; $20,000 ÷ $200,000 = 10%.

Question 19: If a car depreciates in value by 20% per year and is currently worth $25,000, what will it be worth after 2 years?

$20,000
$16,000 (Correct answer)
$17,500
$15,000

Correct answer: $16,000

After year 1: $25,000 × 0.80 = $20,000; after year 2: $20,000 × 0.80 = $16,000.

Question 20: BENEVOLENT : MALEVOLENT :: OPTIMIST : ?

Pessimist (Correct answer)
Cynic
Realist
Skeptic

Correct answer: Pessimist

Benevolent and malevolent are direct opposites just as optimist and pessimist are direct opposites in outlook.

Question 21: Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?

The childrens' playground was new.
The dog wagged it's tail.
The manager's office is on the third floor. (Correct answer)
Its' a beautiful morning.

Correct answer: The manager's office is on the third floor.

Apostrophes show possession for singular nouns by adding 's, so 'manager's' is correct.

Question 22: A stacked bar chart shows total production of 500 units: Product X accounts for 200, Product Y for 150, Product Z for 150. Which product has the largest share?

Product X (Correct answer)
Product Z
Product Y
Y and Z are tied for largest

Correct answer: Product X

Product X has 200 units, more than Y or Z's 150 each.

Question 23: In a matrix, each row contains a circle, a square, and a triangle in some order. The first row is circle-square-triangle, second is square-triangle-circle. What is the third row?

Circle-square-triangle
Triangle-circle-square (Correct answer)
Triangle-square-circle
Square-triangle-circle

Correct answer: Triangle-circle-square

Each row shifts the shapes one position left, so the third row is triangle-circle-square.

Question 24: Which sentence avoids a double negative?

They don't have any objections to the proposal. (Correct answer)
I haven't got no time for this.
She didn't say nothing about the plan.
He can't barely hear the speaker.

Correct answer: They don't have any objections to the proposal.

'Don't have any objections' uses a single negative correctly, making the sentence clear.

Question 25: A shape is reflected across a vertical line. The original has its point facing right. Where does the point face after reflection?

Left (Correct answer)
Right
Up
Down

Correct answer: Left

A vertical reflection flips left and right, so a rightward point becomes a leftward point.

Question 26: Which sentence correctly uses 'fewer' vs. 'less'?

There are less cars on the road today.
She made fewer mistakes on the second attempt. (Correct answer)
I have fewer patience than before.
We need less volunteers for this event.

Correct answer: She made fewer mistakes on the second attempt.

'Fewer' is used with countable nouns like 'mistakes,' while 'less' is for uncountable quantities.

Question 27: A shape is divided into sections; each step doubles the number of sections: 2, 4, 8, ___. How many sections are there in the 5th step?

32 (Correct answer)
20
64
16

Correct answer: 32

Doubling from step 1: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 — the 5th step has 32 sections.

Question 28: A pattern shows that figures in odd positions are striped and figures in even positions are dotted. Figure 7 is ___.

Dotted
Checkered
Solid
Striped (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Striped

7 is an odd number, so figure 7 follows the odd-position rule and is striped.

Question 29: A checklist requires initialing 6 boxes. An applicant initials boxes 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 but skips box 4. Which statement correctly describes the situation?

All required boxes are completed
Two boxes are missing initials
One box is missing an initial (Correct answer)
The applicant only needed to initial 5 boxes

Correct answer: One box is missing an initial

The applicant initialed 5 of the 6 required boxes, leaving box 4 blank — exactly one box is missing an initial.

Question 30: The line graph below shows a company's quarterly revenue in thousands of dollars over two years. During which period did the company experience the largest absolute increase in revenue from the previous quarter? [Line Graph Description: A line graph plots revenue over 8 quarters. Year 1 values (in thousands): Q1-$40, Q2-$45, Q3-$60, Q4-$55. Year 2 values (in thousands): Q1-$50, Q2-$70, Q3-$75, Q4-$65.]

Year 1, Quarter 4 to Year 2, Quarter 1
Year 2, Quarter 2 to Quarter 3
Year 1, Quarter 2 to Quarter 3
Year 2, Quarter 1 to Quarter 2 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Year 2, Quarter 1 to Quarter 2

To find the largest increase, calculate the revenue change between each consecutive quarter: Y1Q2 to Y1Q3 = +$15K; Y1Q4 to Y2Q1 = -$5K (a decrease); Y2Q1 to Y2Q2 = +$20K; Y2Q2 to Y2Q3 = +$5K. The increase of $20K from Year 2, Quarter 1 to Year 2, Quarter 2 is the largest.

Question 31: A scatter plot shows a strong positive correlation between study hours and exam scores. What does this indicate?

As study hours increase, scores tend to decrease
Study hours have no effect on scores
Scores cause students to study more
As study hours increase, scores tend to increase (Correct answer)

Correct answer: As study hours increase, scores tend to increase

A positive correlation means both variables move in the same direction.

Question 32: Letters follow the pattern: Z, Y, X, W, ___. What comes next?

U
S
V (Correct answer)
T

Correct answer: V

The sequence counts backward through the alphabet: Z, Y, X, W, V.

Question 33: A shape has 3 lines of symmetry. Which shape is it most likely to be?

Equilateral triangle (Correct answer)
Rectangle
Circle
Square

Correct answer: Equilateral triangle

An equilateral triangle has exactly 3 lines of symmetry, one through each vertex and midpoint.

Question 34: Complete the series: 1000, 500, 250, 125, ___?

60
75
62.5 (Correct answer)
50

Correct answer: 62.5

Each term is halved, so 125 ÷ 2 = 62.5.

Question 35: An isometric view of an object made of stacked cubes is shown. An arrow indicates the direction of sight for the right-side view. Which of the following options correctly represents the right-side view of the object? [Image of a 3D object made of cubes. It has a base of 3x2 cubes. A tower of two additional cubes sits on the back-left corner, and a single cube sits on the front-right corner. An arrow points from the right towards the object.]

[Image of a 3x2 grid, with the back-left and front-right squares shaded differently to indicate height]
[Image of a 3-block 'L' shape]
[Image of a 2x1 vertical rectangle on the left, and a 1x1 square on the right, separated by a gap. The left rectangle is taller.] (Correct answer)
[Image of a 2x2 square grid, with the top-left and bottom-right squares shaded]

Correct answer: [Image of a 2x1 vertical rectangle on the left, and a 1x1 square on the right, separated by a gap. The left rectangle is taller.]

When viewing the object from the right side (as indicated by the arrow), you would see the profile of the stacked blocks. The stack on the back-left (which is just 'left' from this perspective) is three blocks high. The single block on the front-right (which is just 'right' from this perspective) is one block high. The correct 2D representation is therefore a tall column on the left and a shorter column on the right.

Question 36: Which word does NOT belong with the others?

Rattlesnake
Gecko (Correct answer)
Mamba
Cobra

Correct answer: Gecko

A gecko is a lizard while cobra, rattlesnake, and mamba are all venomous snakes.

Question 37: Which product code does NOT follow the pattern XX-####-XX (two letters, four digits, two letters)?

XY-5678-MN
PL-4321-WV
AB-1234-CD
QR-90-ST (Correct answer)

Correct answer: QR-90-ST

Option C only has two digits ('90') in the middle segment where four digits are required by the pattern.

Question 38: A water tank is 1/3 full. After adding 120 gallons, it is 3/4 full. What is the total capacity of the tank?

360 gallons
320 gallons
240 gallons
288 gallons (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 288 gallons

The difference 3/4 − 1/3 = 5/12 equals 120 gallons, so full capacity = 120 ÷ (5/12) = 288 gallons.

Question 39: No X are Y. Some Z are Y. Which conclusion follows?

Some Z are not X (Correct answer)
All Y are Z
No Z are X
Some Z are X

Correct answer: Some Z are not X

The Z that are Y cannot be X (since no X are Y), so at least some Z are not X.

Question 40: A survey was conducted to rate a software product's features on a scale of 1 (Very Dissatisfied) to 5 (Very Satisfied). The results are shown in the table below. What is the overall average satisfaction score, weighted by the number of ratings? [Table Description: A table shows four features. User Interface: 250 ratings, 4.2 avg score. Speed: 250 ratings, 3.5 avg score. Customer Support: 150 ratings, 4.6 avg score. Features: 250 ratings, 3.9 avg score.]

3.99 (Correct answer)
3.85
4.05
4.20

Correct answer: 3.99

The weighted average is calculated by summing the product of each average score and its number of ratings, then dividing by the total number of ratings. The calculation is: [(250 * 4.2) + (250 * 3.5) + (150 * 4.6) + (250 * 3.9)] / (250 + 250 + 150 + 250) = [1050 + 875 + 690 + 975] / 900 = 3590 / 900 ≈ 3.99.

Question 41: A grocer wants to create a 50-pound mixture of nuts that will sell for $4.50 per pound. He will mix peanuts that sell for $3.00 per pound and cashews that sell for $7.00 per pound. Which of the following is closest to the number of pounds of peanuts he should use?

38 pounds
31 pounds (Correct answer)
25 pounds
19 pounds

Correct answer: 31 pounds

Let P be the weight of peanuts and C be the weight of cashews. We have two equations: 1) P + C = 50 (total weight) and 2) 3P + 7C = 50 * 4.50 = 225 (total value). From equation 1, C = 50 - P. Substitute this into equation 2: 3P + 7(50 - P) = 225. This simplifies to 3P + 350 - 7P = 225. Then, -4P = -125. Solving for P gives P = 31.25. The closest answer is 31 pounds.

Question 42: A pattern shows: triangle, circle, square, triangle, circle, square. What comes next?

Square
Pentagon
Triangle (Correct answer)
Circle

Correct answer: Triangle

The pattern repeats every 3 shapes; after square comes triangle again.

Question 43: A data set has values 4, 8, 6, 10, 2. What is the range?

10
8 (Correct answer)
6
4

Correct answer: 8

Range = maximum − minimum = 10 − 2 = 8.

Question 44: Which sentence correctly uses the subjunctive mood?

The doctor recommended that he rests more.
If I was you, I would apologize.
She wishes she was taller.
It is essential that every employee be on time. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: It is essential that every employee be on time.

The subjunctive 'be' is correctly used in a 'that' clause following an expression of necessity.

Question 45: You are reviewing a 240-page report at 30 pages per hour. How many hours will it take to finish?

6
8 (Correct answer)
7
9

Correct answer: 8

Dividing 240 pages by 30 pages per hour equals 8 hours.

Question 46: A sequence of letters: A, C, E, G, ___. What comes next?

H
K
I (Correct answer)
J

Correct answer: I

The sequence skips one letter each time (A, skip B, C, skip D, E, skip F, G, skip H, I).

Question 47: A wheel with a diameter of 2 feet rolls forward until it has made exactly 3 full rotations. How far has it traveled?

6 ft
9 ft
6π ft (Correct answer)
3π ft

Correct answer: 6π ft

Each rotation covers π × diameter = 2π ft; 3 rotations = 6π ft ≈ 18.85 ft.

Question 48: If tracks on the "music app" cost $3 each half dozen, how much would it cost to purchase 24 songs?

24$
12$ (Correct answer)
9%
18$

Correct answer: 12$

The cost is $3 for every half dozen songs, which means $3 for 6 songs. To purchase 24 songs, you need to determine how many sets of 6 songs that represents. 24 songs divided by 6 songs per set equals 4 sets. Therefore, the total cost will be 4 sets multiplied by $3 per set, which is $12.

Question 49: A pump fills a tank at 12 gallons per minute while a drain simultaneously removes 4 gallons per minute. What is the net fill rate?

8 gpm (Correct answer)
6 gpm
4 gpm
16 gpm

Correct answer: 8 gpm

Subtracting the outflow from the inflow: 12 − 4 = 8 gallons per minute net.

Question 50: A product table shows: Product: Widget X, Quantity: 250, Unit Price: $4.80, Total: $1,200.00. Which statement about this table is accurate?

The total is incorrect; it should be $1,250.80
The total is correct: 250 × $4.80 = $1,200.00 (Correct answer)
The total is incorrect; it should be $1,250.00
The total is incorrect; it should be $1,100.00

Correct answer: The total is correct: 250 × $4.80 = $1,200.00

250 multiplied by $4.80 equals exactly $1,200.00, so the table total is accurate and contains no error.

Question 51: A warehouse employee is stacking boxes in a pyramid shape. The top layer has 1 box, the second layer has 4 boxes, the third has 9, and the fourth has 16. If this pattern continues, how many boxes will be in the seventh layer?

25
64
36
49 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 49

The number of boxes in each layer corresponds to the square of the layer number. Layer 1 has 1^2 = 1 box, Layer 2 has 2^2 = 4 boxes, Layer 3 has 3^2 = 9 boxes, and so on. Therefore, the seventh layer will have 7^2 = 49 boxes.

Question 52: What is the 8th letter of the English alphabet?

F
H (Correct answer)
G
I

Correct answer: H

Counting from A=1 through B, C, D, E, F, G, the 8th letter is H.

Question 53: A line graph shows temperature rising from 60°F on Monday to 80°F on Friday over 4 equal intervals. What is the average daily increase?

10°F
4°F
20°F
5°F (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 5°F

Total increase = 20°F over 4 intervals, so 20 ÷ 4 = 5°F per day.

Question 54: Which of the following word pairs expresses a relationship of 'Worker : Tool'?

FARMER : TRACTOR (Correct answer)
SCULPTOR : STATUE
AUTHOR : BOOK
CHEF : KITCHEN

Correct answer: FARMER : TRACTOR

The relationship required is a person and the primary instrument they use to perform their job. A farmer uses a tractor as a tool for their work. A sculptor creates a statue, an author writes a book, and a chef works in a kitchen (a place, not a tool).

Question 55: A data entry clerk records customer names. Which of the following entries contains a likely transposition error compared to the source 'Fitzgerald, Maureen'?

Fitzgerald, Maurene
Fitgerald, Maureen
Fitzgerlad, Maureen (Correct answer)
Fitzgerald, Maureen

Correct answer: Fitzgerlad, Maureen

Option B shows 'Fitzgerlad' — the letters 'l' and 'a' in '-gerald' have been transposed from the correct '-gerald' spelling.

Question 56: A contract states: 'Net 30 days from invoice date, 2% discount if paid within 10 days.' Which interpretation is correct?

Payment must be split into 30 installments over 2 months
Payment is due in 10 days; paying in 30 days incurs a 2% fee
A 2% discount applies to all invoices paid within 30 days
Payment is due in 30 days; paying within 10 days earns a 2% discount (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Payment is due in 30 days; paying within 10 days earns a 2% discount

'Net 30' means full payment is due in 30 days, and the 2% discount is an incentive for early payment within 10 days.

Question 57: A cylinder and a cone have the same base radius and height. What is the ratio of the cylinder's volume to the cone's volume?

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

Correct answer: 3:1

The cylinder's volume is πr²h and the cone's is ⅓πr²h, so the ratio is 3:1.

Question 58: You are facing north and turn 90° clockwise, then 180° counterclockwise. Which direction are you now facing?

East
North
South
West (Correct answer)

Correct answer: West

Facing north, turning 90° clockwise gives east, then 180° counterclockwise lands on west.

Question 59: A solid shape has 12 edges, 8 vertices, and 6 faces. What shape is it?

Cube (Correct answer)
Triangular prism
Square pyramid
Octahedron

Correct answer: Cube

A cube has exactly 6 faces, 12 edges, and 8 vertices, confirmed by Euler's formula.

Question 60: You look at the reflection of a digital clock showing 10:10 in a mirror. What time does the reflection show?

10:01
10:10
02:50
01:50 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 01:50

A mirror reverses left and right; 10:10 reflected becomes 01:50.

Basic Ability Test

A pre-employment cognitive aptitude assessment measuring a candidate's abilities across verbal reasoning, numerical data interpretation, abstract pattern recognition, attention to detail, and mechanical reasoning to evaluate job readiness.

Questions

60 min

Time Limit

70%

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