EIAT study guide

Build the reading, math and mechanical reasoning skills behind the elevator aptitude test. Try the worked examples, then practice the areas that need attention.

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Original examples · Free to read · Official sources checked September 14, 2026

Test format and scoring

NEIEP describes a paper test with 100 multiple-choice questions. Its examples use missing-word reading passages, mechanical diagrams and calculations. Official EIAT study guide

Official EIAT question counts and answer choices shown in NEIEP’s examples
SectionQuestionsChoices in official examples
Reading comprehension354
Mechanical aptitude353
Mathematics305

The aptitude pass mark is 70% overall. Correct tool-assessment answers contribute to the interview score separately. NEIEP scoring guidance

Our full practice uses 90 minutes as a training setting. The national sources above do not publish a universal clock or calculator policy; use your own recruitment instructions for test-day rules.

Reading comprehension

Read for meaning before comparing answer choices. In a missing-word question, the right word must fit both the sentence grammar and the surrounding passage. For a main idea or inference question, identify the evidence that makes your answer follow.

  1. 1. Read around the blank

    Read the complete sentence and its neighbors. Identify whether the missing word describes an action, a quality or a thing.

  2. 2. Notice connecting words

    “However” signals a contrast; “therefore” signals a result. Track conditions such as “only if” and who pronouns refer to.

  3. 3. Check the whole meaning

    Insert each plausible choice and reread. Reject a familiar word if it changes the meaning. Keep inferences within the passage’s evidence.

Choose a word from context

A delivery team pauses unloading because the packing list does not state the number of crates. Once the quantity is confirmed, the team can ______ the work.

Which word best fills the blank?

Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. resume

  1. The delivery is interrupted while the team checks the missing information.
  2. “Once the quantity is confirmed” marks the point at which the work can continue. Resume means begin again after a pause.
  3. Cancel would end the work, duplicate would repeat it, and conceal would hide it. None fits the sequence.

Inference check: This passage supports that the team needs the quantity confirmed before continuing. It does not establish that crates are missing, that anyone made a mistake or that unloading will finish on time.

Practice reading in contextPractice reading comprehension

Mathematics

Use pencil and paper to make your working easy to check. Estimate the size of the answer first, then calculate one step per line.

Decimals and arithmetic

Align decimal points for addition and subtraction. For division, multiply both numbers by the same power of 10 to make the divisor a whole number: 8.4 ÷ 0.6 = 84 ÷ 6 = 14.

Fractions and mixed numbers

Use a common denominator for addition and subtraction. Convert mixed numbers to improper fractions before multiplying. Divide by multiplying by the reciprocal. Simplify when possible.

Order of operations and percentages

Work brackets first, then powers, then multiplication and division from left to right, then addition and subtraction from left to right. For a percentage, identify the base: 15% of 80 = 0.15 × 80 = 12.

Equations and formulas

Undo an operation on both sides. In 3x + 7 = 28, subtract 7, then divide by 3: x = 7. Substitute into the original equation to check. Keep units consistent when rearranging a formula.

Multiply a mixed number

What is 2 3/4 × 4/5?

Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. 2 1/5

  1. Convert 2 3/4 to 11/4: multiply 2 by 4 and add 3.
  2. Multiply 11/4 × 4/5. Cancel the common factor of 4 to obtain 11/5.
  3. Convert 11/5 to 2 1/5. Multiplying by 4/5 should make the original positive number smaller, which this does.

Keep the operations in order

What is (9.6 − 1.2 × 3) ÷ 0.4?

Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. 15

  1. Inside the parentheses, multiply before subtracting: 1.2 × 3 = 3.6.
  2. Subtract: 9.6 − 3.6 = 6.
  3. Divide: 6 ÷ 0.4 = 60 ÷ 4 = 15. Dividing by a positive number below 1 makes the result larger.

In our math questions, “No answer” means none of A–D is correct. Selecting it is an answer; it is different from leaving the question blank.

Practice arithmeticPractice fractions and decimalsPractice algebra

Mechanical aptitude

Identify what moves, what stays fixed and which forces act. Trace one connection at a time. For calculation questions, write the relationship before inserting the numbers. The rules below assume ideal components unless a question says otherwise.

Gears and belts

Meshing external gears rotate in opposite directions. Gears fixed to the same shaft turn together. An open belt turns its pulleys in the same direction; a crossed belt reverses direction. In a meshing pair, the gear with fewer teeth turns faster.

Pulleys

A fixed pulley changes the direction of a pull. A movable pulley can reduce the effort. For a simple ideal system with parallel supporting strands of equal tension, divide the load by the number of strands supporting the moving assembly. The tradeoff is pulling more rope.

Levers and balance

Turning effect depends on force × perpendicular distance from the pivot. A smaller force can balance a larger one if it acts farther away. Keep the distance units consistent on both sides.

Pressure and hydraulics

Pressure = force ÷ area. In an ideal hydraulic system at equal height, the same pressure acts on both pistons. A larger output piston produces more force but travels a shorter distance for a given input displacement.

Balance a lever

A level lever with weights on both sides of a fulcrumA 30-pound load is 4 feet to the left of the fulcrum. An unknown load is 3 feet to the right. The beam has negligible weight.30 lb?4 ft3 ftFulcrum

What load balances the 30 lb load? Ignore the beam’s weight.

Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. 40 lb

  1. The left turning effect is 30 × 4 = 120 lb·ft.
  2. The right side must produce the same turning effect: load × 3 = 120.
  3. The load is 120 ÷ 3 = 40 lb. It is closer to the fulcrum, so a larger load is needed.

Compare hydraulic piston forces

A 20 lb force acts on a 2 in² input piston. What force acts on a 10 in² output piston at the same height? Assume an ideal system.

Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. 100 lb

  1. Input pressure is 20 lb ÷ 2 in² = 10 lb/in².
  2. Apply that pressure to the output area: 10 lb/in² × 10 in² = 100 lb.
  3. The output area is five times larger, so the output force is five times larger. This does not create extra energy; the larger piston moves less far.
Practice gears and pulleysPractice forces and balancePractice hydraulics

Tools and measurement

Study these separately from the three aptitude sections. Our preparation covers identifying common tools, matching a tool to its purpose and reading fractional scales. This topic list is a practice curriculum, not a published tool-assessment blueprint.

A 2026 IUEC Local 12 recruitment notice describes tool knowledge, uses and basic measuring skills. Check your own recruitment instructions for the assessment details.

Identify the working end

Look at the jaws, blade, head or tip before the handle. Compare slotted and Phillips screwdrivers, open-end and adjustable wrenches, sockets, locking pliers and long-nose pliers. Name the feature that distinguishes each.

Match the tool to the task

A wrench turns the appropriate fastener; a hacksaw cuts material; a file removes small amounts of material; a level checks level or plumb. Know the purpose as well as the name.

Read the scale before the mark

Find the unit and count equal spaces between numbered marks. Eight spaces per inch means eighths; sixteen means sixteenths. For metric rulers, 10 millimeters make 1 centimeter.

Measure between two positions

Subtract the starting reading from the ending reading. A part extending from 1 1/4 in to 4 3/4 in is 3 1/2 in long. Do not assume every measurement starts at zero.

Read the marked measurement

Read a ruler divided into eighths of an inchA ruler runs from 2 inches to 3 inches with eight equal intervals. A blue arrow points to the fifth small interval after 2 inches.23

What measurement does the arrow show? The ruler is marked in inches.

Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. 2 5/8 in

  1. There are eight equal spaces from 2 to 3, so each space is 1/8 inch.
  2. The arrow is five spaces after 2: 2 + 5/8 = 2 5/8 inches.
  3. Count spaces from the numbered mark. The longer middle tick is 2 1/2 inches, and the arrow is one eighth beyond it.
Practice tool knowledgePractice measurement

A practical study plan

Use this seven-session plan as a starting point. Spend more sessions on weak skills when time allows. If your appointment is close, prioritize recurring mistakes over trying to cover every topic once.

  1. 1. Find your starting point

    Try a short drill in each aptitude section. Record whether each miss came from a missing skill, a misread instruction or a calculation slip.

  2. 2. Rebuild arithmetic

    Work fractions and decimals slowly on paper. Redo missed problems from a blank sheet before looking at the explanation.

  3. 3. Add equations and percentages

    Write each operation and check by substitution or estimation. Review units as part of the calculation.

  4. 4. Trace mechanical systems

    Sketch gears, ropes and pivots. Label direction, supporting rope segments, forces and distances before choosing an answer.

  5. 5. Read and identify tools

    Explain the evidence for each reading choice. Review tools by name and purpose, then practice ruler intervals and measurement differences.

  6. 6. Rehearse a full practice

    Use the full 100-question practice with our 90-minute training clock. Notice where time goes and whether accuracy changes late in the sitting.

  7. 7. Review and prepare for the appointment

    Redo mistakes and uncertain guesses. Recheck your invitation for the location, arrival time, required identification, materials and test-day instructions.

View full EIAT practice

Use practice results to choose your next review topic. These original questions and raw scores are not calibrated to an official EIAT result.

Common questions

Do I need elevator experience before taking the EIAT?

NEIEP’s guide says prior trade knowledge or training is not required. Prepare the underlying reading, math and mechanical reasoning skills. The apprenticeship teaches the trade. NEIEP study guide

Is 70% required in every section?

NEIEP publishes 70% correct as the minimum for the aptitude test overall. The cited national guidance does not state a separate 70% requirement for each section. Practice percentages do not predict your official result. NEIEP apprenticeship FAQ

How long is the test, and can I use a calculator?

The national NEIEP guide and FAQ linked here do not publish a universal test clock or calculator policy. Follow your recruitment notice and proctor’s instructions. Our full practice uses a 90-minute clock chosen for training; it is not an official timing claim. Work math drills on paper to strengthen your arithmetic. Check the published NEIEP guide

Does passing the aptitude test guarantee an apprenticeship?

Passing makes you eligible for the interview stage. NEIEP says the interview determines your rank on the local hiring list. A passing aptitude score alone does not guarantee a job. NEIEP interview guidance

Are the worked examples real EIAT questions?

No. These are original teaching examples from Game Assessment Prep. The difficulty, examples and study schedule are our editorial choices. We are independent of NEIEP and the IUEC, and neither organization supplies or endorses this practice.

Official references

Game Assessment Prep is independent of NEIEP and the International Union of Elevator Constructors. Our examples and explanations are original educational material. Follow your recruiting program’s current instructions for your actual assessment.

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