Scales numerical
Aon’s standard numerical reasoning format has 37 statements and a 12-minute clock. You evaluate statements using tables and charts. This is the format covered by our full practice.
Aon Numerical Reasoning study guide
Find the right figures, check what they establish and judge each statement as True, False or Cannot Say.
Eight-statement drills · 37-statement full practice · Tables and charts
Check the test in your invitation
Other Aon assessments
Aon also supplies arithmetic, memory and logic tasks. A digitChallenge or gapChallenge invitation calls for different practice. Aon is the provider, not the name of one universal exam.
See other Aon assessmentsA shorter numerical version also exists: SMU’s candidate guide describes 18 statements in six minutes. Check your invitation’s name, timing and examples. Our full practice uses the standard length. SMU: Aon candidate guide, including the compact numerical test.
Work through six examples
Choose an answer before expanding the explanation. These original teaching examples are separate from the scored practice bank. Here, the relevant sheet is already shown; in the full practice, you find it among six tabs.
1. Read the unit before comparing values
Marlow Displays: annual revenue
Figures are in thousands of pounds (£000). The years are calendar years; forecast figures are estimates.
Revenue by year
| Year | Status | Revenue (£000) |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Actual | 2,480 |
| 2025 | Actual | 2,735 |
| 2026 | Forecast | 2,910 |
Marlow Displays’ actual revenue in 2025 exceeded £2.7 million.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: True
- Use the 2025 actual row, not the forecast for 2026.
- The value 2,735 is in thousands: 2,735 × £1,000 = £2,735,000.
- £2,735,000 is £35,000 above £2,700,000, so the statement is true.
Read the period, status and scale together. The same number means something different in pounds, thousands of pounds or millions of pounds.
Practice reading tables & charts2. Separate percentages from percentage points
Marlow Displays: defective-item rate
The rate is the number of defective items divided by all items inspected in that year. Rates below are exact.
Annual inspection results
| Year | Defective-item rate |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 2.4% |
| 2025 | 3.0% |
The defective-item rate increased by 0.6% relative to its 2024 level.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: False
- The subtraction 3.0% − 2.4% gives 0.6 percentage points.
- A relative increase uses the original rate as its base: (3.0 − 2.4) ÷ 2.4 × 100 = 25%.
- The relative increase is 25%, not 0.6%. The figures contradict the statement.
“Percentage points” means subtract the two percentages. “Relative increase” means divide the difference by the original value.
Practice percentages & changes3. Compare output per hour
Kestrel Dispatch: one week’s completed parcels
Dock A used 24 staff-hours. Dock B used 30 staff-hours. Staff-hours combine the hours worked by everyone at that dock. The chart gives exact parcel counts.
Completed parcels
Scroll horizontally or expand to read the full graphic.
Text description
Horizontal bar chart. Dock A completed 960 parcels. Dock B completed 1,080 parcels.
Dock A completed at least 10% more parcels per staff-hour than Dock B.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: True
- Dock A’s rate was 960 ÷ 24 = 40 parcels per staff-hour.
- Dock B’s rate was 1,080 ÷ 30 = 36 parcels per staff-hour.
- Relative to Dock B, the difference was (40 − 36) ÷ 36 × 100 = 11.11…%. This is above 10%.
Dock B completed more parcels in total, but Dock A had the higher rate. Compare the quantity named in the statement.
Practice ratios & rates4. Weight an average by the number of cases
Kestrel Dispatch: handling times
These are all 100 orders handled on Monday. Each order belongs to exactly one group. The group means are exact.
Orders and mean handling time
| Order group | Orders | Mean minutes per order |
|---|---|---|
| Large | 20 | 12 |
| Small | 80 | 7 |
The mean handling time across all 100 orders was 9.5 minutes per order.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: False
- Large orders account for 20 × 12 = 240 minutes. Small orders account for 80 × 7 = 560 minutes.
- Total handling time is 240 + 560 = 800 minutes across 100 orders.
- The overall mean is 800 ÷ 100 = 8 minutes. Averaging the two group means gives 9.5, but incorrectly gives the unequal groups equal weight.
Combine total quantities first, then divide by the total count. Simply averaging the group means can give the wrong result when the group sizes differ.
Practice totals & averages5. Apply each forecast change to the updated total
Marlow Displays: quarterly order forecast
The company forecasts 8% growth in order volume from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026, then another 8% from Q1 to Q2 2026. Each change is applied to the preceding quarter. No other adjustments are included.
Starting order volume
| Quarter | Status | Orders |
|---|---|---|
| Q4 2025 | Actual | 1,250 |
Under this forecast, order volume in Q2 2026 will be 1,458.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: True
- Forecast Q1 volume: 1,250 × 1.08 = 1,350 orders.
- Forecast Q2 volume: 1,350 × 1.08 = 1,458 orders.
- The statement is about the specified forecast, so it is supported. It does not claim that the actual future result is guaranteed.
Two successive 8% increases compound to 16.64%, not 16%. Keep forecasts separate from actual outcomes, and do not extend a growth rule beyond the periods stated.
Practice forecasts & conversions6. Recognize when the data measure something else
Kestrel Dispatch: annual transport expense
Total transport expense was £50,000. The chart splits that expense by transport method. Delivery counts and cost per delivery are not supplied.
Share of transport expense
Scroll horizontally or expand to read the full graphic.
Text description
Stacked bar of transport expense shares: Road 45%, Rail 35%, Air 20%. These are cost shares, not delivery shares.
More deliveries traveled by road than by rail.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: Cannot Say
- Road accounted for 45% of £50,000 = £22,500. Rail accounted for 35% = £17,500.
- These are expenses. The number of deliveries also depends on cost per delivery, which is missing.
- A higher total expense could arise from more deliveries, more expensive deliveries, or both. The statement is neither established nor contradicted.
Cannot Say is a definite answer about insufficient evidence. It does not mean that a calculation feels difficult, and it is different from leaving a statement unanswered.
Practice evidence & missing dataUse three different evidence judgments
True
The supplied figures support the statement. Check the exact period, measure and comparison before choosing it.
False
The supplied figures contradict the statement. You can establish that its claim is wrong.
Cannot Say
The supplied information leaves the statement unresolved. You would need another figure, period or definition to decide.
An unanswered statement is different: you have not submitted a judgment. Do not choose Cannot Say merely because the arithmetic is difficult. You should be able to name the missing evidence.
Find the right sheet before calculating
Aon’s instructions say that the sheets stay the same throughout the test and that each statement relates to one sheet. Its interface walkthrough shows six tabs. The task includes finding the relevant source; you do not need to combine figures from different sheets. Aon: numerical reasoning practice and instructions · Aon: numerical reasoning interface walkthrough
1. Identify the measure and period
Read what the statement actually compares: revenue, cost, quantity, share, rate or forecast. Notice the company, segment and year.
2. Open the relevant tab
Use the sheet titles as a map. Read the title, row and unit together; similar numbers elsewhere may describe a different measure.
3. Check whether the inputs exist
A missing period or delivery count may settle the question before any calculation. Do not fill a gap with an assumption.
4. Calculate only what is needed
Set up the comparison, use the calculator if useful and check rounding. Keep the relevant sheet visible while making your judgment.
Practice the skill behind the mistake
Reading tables & charts
Locate the right sheet, row, period and unit. Read chart labels before comparing the visible lengths or heights.
Watch for: A figure labeled “thousands” is not an absolute count. Check whether it describes one segment or the whole business.
Practice this drillPercentages & changes
For relative change, divide the difference by the original value. For percentage points, subtract the rates directly.
Watch for: A share of sales and the growth in sales have different denominators. Check which quantity the statement names.
Practice this drillRatios & rates
Write the units of a rate: items per hour, revenue per employee, or cost per item. Calculate comparable rates before judging the claim.
Watch for: A larger total can come with a lower rate. Reversing the ratio answers a different question.
Practice this drillTotals & averages
Identify which rows belong in the total. For an overall average, combine the underlying totals and counts.
Watch for: Do not count a subtotal twice. Unequal groups need a weighted average.
Practice this drillForecasts & conversions
Apply the stated growth or conversion rule only to its specified base and periods. Keep enough precision until the final comparison.
Watch for: A forecast is not an actual result. Successive changes compound, and an exchange rate must be used in the stated direction.
Practice this drillEvidence & missing data
Ask whether the sheet supplies every input needed to settle the statement. Distinguish a contradiction from a missing figure or definition.
Watch for: A missing year is not a zero. Cost, revenue, quantity and market share are different measures.
Practice this drillPrepare for a short, continuous clock
Dividing 12 minutes by 37 gives about 19.5 seconds per statement. This is a pacing reference, not a separate deadline for each item or a requirement to finish all of them. Some judgments need only a lookup; others need a calculation.
Before starting
Have a calculator, paper and pen ready. Read the instructions and try the introductory examples before beginning the timed portion.
During the sitting
Keep a steady pace. Use the statement picker to move past a difficult item and return if time remains. The full practice clock keeps running while you navigate.
Before finishing
Use remaining time to check uncertain statements and unanswered items. You can revise full-practice answers until final submission or time expiry.
Aon’s practice instructions recommend a calculator and rough paper and allow navigation between statements. Follow the exact rules in your real assessment. Our short drills show feedback after each submitted answer; the full test shows it at the end. Aon: numerical reasoning practice and instructions.
Improve accuracy and coverage together
Track how many statements you judged correctly, how many you attempted, and which mistakes repeat. Reaching more items helps only when you can still interpret them reliably. Review a correct guess as carefully as an incorrect answer.
Check the marking instructions before your real test. For example, SMU’s compact numerical test awards one point for a correct answer, deducts half a point for an incorrect one and gives zero for a blank. That is a documented example, not a promise that every employer uses identical scoring. SMU: Aon candidate guide, including the compact numerical test.
Practice points = correct − 0.5 × incorrect
We show this alongside your correct-answer count. For example, 28 correct and four incorrect gives 28 − 2 = 26 practice points; five unanswered statements add zero. This makes the cost of errors visible without treating an unanswered statement as a wrong answer.
Our results and training goals describe performance on our questions. Practice points are not an official Aon score and do not establish a percentile, a universal pass mark or an employer’s hiring decision.
A practical study order
1. Learn the response rules
Use the worked examples to distinguish supported, contradicted and undetermined statements. Explain which data settle each answer before checking the solution.
2. Complete a mixed drill
Practice finding the right sheet as well as calculating. Review errors as data selection, units, arithmetic, interpretation or missing evidence.
3. Repeat the skill that causes errors
Use a targeted drill, then explain the method without looking at the solution. Return to mixed practice so that the skill is no longer announced in advance.
4. Rehearse the full 12 minutes
Use a calculator and rough paper, keep the clock running, and review afterward. Compare unfamiliar statements and datasets where available; remembering a previous answer is not evidence that your method has improved.
Rehearse the full assessment
Work through 37 statements against six fixed data sheets in 12 minutes. The full practice keeps answers hidden until the end, then saves your responses and explanations for review.
One Aon Numerical pass covers full tests and drill replays. Each drill has a free first attempt where your account’s access includes a trial. Saved reviews stay available.
Common questions
Is Aon Numerical Reasoning the same as digitChallenge?
No. This practice covers scales numerical: judging statements using tables and charts. digitChallenge is an arithmetic game, while gapChallenge and switchChallenge test different reasoning skills. Use the name and examples in your invitation to choose the right practice.
What does Cannot Say mean?
The supplied evidence cannot establish whether the statement is true or false. Missing values, missing periods or a different measure can make this the correct answer. If the data are sufficient but you have not worked out the calculation, that alone does not justify Cannot Say.
Do I have to answer every statement?
Aon’s guidance says candidates are not expected to finish every task. Practice making accurate judgments efficiently instead of clicking through all 37 at any cost. Unanswered items and incorrect answers tell you different things about what to improve.
Can I use a calculator?
Yes, you can use a calculator and rough paper here. Aon’s numerical practice instructions recommend having them ready. Follow the specific instructions for your real assessment; do not assume it supplies an on-screen calculator.
Can I go back and change answers?
In our full practice, you can revisit statements and change answers until you submit or time expires. Short drills reveal an explanation after submission, so those answers are then final. Check the navigation rules shown in your real invitation and tutorial.
Does this also cover the six-minute test?
The compact numerical format uses the same broad statement-evaluation skills. SMU publishes an example with 18 statements in six minutes. Our full simulation is the standard 37-statement, 12-minute format; it is not a separate compact simulation.
What score means I am ready?
Look for consistently high accuracy, better coverage under the clock, and fewer recurring mistakes on unfamiliar data. Our training goals are provisional practice targets. They are not official Aon percentiles, employer cutoffs or guarantees of passing.
What does an Aon Numerical pass cover?
One Aon Numerical pass covers this assessment’s full timed tests and drill replays. Each short drill has a first free attempt where your access includes a trial. Saved results and explanations remain available. Other Aon assessments have separate passes.
Official preparation references
- Aon: prepare for your online assessment
- Aon: numerical reasoning practice and instructions
- Aon: numerical reasoning interface walkthrough
- SMU: Aon candidate guide, including the compact numerical test
Independent preparation from Game Assessment Prep. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Aon or cut-e. Our examples are original practice material.