What this page helps you practise
- number sequences and matrix patterns
- logic arithmetic and symbol problems
- data interpretation and proportional reasoning
- multi-step quantitative reasoning under time pressure
EdutestYear 7Numerical Reasoning
Edutest Year 7 Numerical Reasoning Practice
Year 7 Edutest numerical reasoning focuses on mathematical logic rather than routine school exercises. Students need practice finding patterns quickly and applying number sense under pressure.
Year 7 Numerical Reasoning sample questions with worked solutions
Try each question first, then open the worked solution to check your answer and see how to reach it.
1.If a car travels at 60 km/h, how many minutes does it take to travel 30 km?
- A20
- B30
- C45
- D60
Show answer and working
Answer: B (30)
At 60 km/h the car travels 60 km in 60 minutes, which is 1 km every minute. So 30 km takes 30 minutes. Using the formula, time = distance ÷ speed = 30 ÷ 60 = 0.5 hours, and half an hour is 30 minutes. Remember to convert hours into minutes when the question asks for minutes.
2.Find the missing number: 5, 6, 8, 11, 15, __.
- A19
- B20
- C21
- D22
Show answer and working
Answer: B (20)
Look at the gaps: 5 to 6 is +1, 6 to 8 is +2, 8 to 11 is +3 and 11 to 15 is +4. The amount added grows by 1 each time, so the next gap is +5. 15 + 5 = 20. The answer 19 adds 4 again, which ignores the growing pattern.
3.A farmer has 10 sheep and some chickens. If there are 60 legs in total, how many chickens are there?
- A5
- B10
- C15
- D20
Show answer and working
Answer: B (10)
Sheep have 4 legs, so 10 sheep have 10 × 4 = 40 legs. That leaves 60 − 40 = 20 legs for the chickens. Each chicken has 2 legs, so there are 20 ÷ 2 = 10 chickens. Check: 40 + 20 = 60 legs. The answer 20 forgets that each chicken has two legs.
4.What is the next number in the sequence: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, __?
- A12
- B13
- C14
- D15
Show answer and working
Answer: B (13)
These are the prime numbers: numbers with exactly two factors, 1 and themselves. After 11, check 12 (divisible by 2, 3, 4 and 6), then 13, which can only be divided by 1 and 13. So 13 is next. The gaps (+1, +2, +2, +4) are irregular, which is a clue that the pattern is primes.
5.Find the missing number: 100, 99, 97, 94, 90, __.
- A85
- B86
- C84
- D83
Show answer and working
Answer: A (85)
The amount subtracted increases by 1 each step: 100 − 1 = 99, 99 − 2 = 97, 97 − 3 = 94 and 94 − 4 = 90. The next step subtracts 5: 90 − 5 = 85. When the gaps change, write them down underneath the sequence to spot the pattern in the gaps.
6.Three friends share a pizza. Amy eats 1/3, Ben eats 1/4. What fraction is left for Chloe?
- A1/2
- B5/12
- C7/12
- D1/6
Show answer and working
Answer: B (5/12)
Add the fractions eaten using a common denominator of 12: 1/3 = 4/12 and 1/4 = 3/12, so together they ate 7/12. The whole pizza is 12/12, so Chloe gets 12/12 − 7/12 = 5/12. The answer 7/12 is the amount Amy and Ben ate, not what is left.
7.Tom is 12. His sister is half his age. How old will she be when Tom is 20?
- A10
- B14
- C16
- D18
Show answer and working
Answer: B (14)
Tom's sister is half of 12, so she is 6 now. The difference between their ages is 12 − 6 = 6 years, and this gap never changes. When Tom is 20, she will be 20 − 6 = 14. The trap answer 10 assumes she stays half his age, but both of them age by the same amount.
8.If 2 painters paint a wall in 2 hours, how long does 1 painter take?
- A1 hour
- B2 hours
- C3 hours
- D4 hours
Show answer and working
Answer: D (4 hours)
Two painters together take 2 hours, so the job needs 2 × 2 = 4 painter-hours of work. One painter must do all 4 painter-hours alone, so it takes 4 hours. Fewer workers means more time, so the answer must be more than 2 hours. This is an inverse proportion.
9.What is the angle between the hands of a clock at 6:00?
- A90°
- B120°
- C180°
- D360°
Show answer and working
Answer: C (180°)
At 6:00 the minute hand points to 12 and the hour hand points to 6, directly opposite each other. Together they make a straight line, which is 180°. You can also calculate it: the clock face is 360° divided into 12 hours, so each hour mark is 30°, and 6 × 30° = 180°.
10.How many digits are used to write the numbers 1 to 10?
- A9
- B10
- C11
- D12
Show answer and working
Answer: C (11)
The numbers 1 to 9 each use one digit, which is 9 digits. The number 10 uses two digits, 1 and 0. So the total is 9 + 2 = 11 digits. The trap is to answer 10 by counting the numbers instead of the digits, so read carefully what is being counted.
Preparation strategy
1
Teach students to write down the pattern rule before calculating.
2
Use mixed reasoning sets rather than only curriculum maths drills.
3
Practise pacing because scholarship tests often reward fast recognition.
Frequently asked questions
How is Year 7 numerical reasoning different from maths?
Numerical reasoning tests flexible problem solving and pattern recognition, while school maths often focuses more on taught procedures.
How should Year 7 students prepare?
They should practise number patterns, logic puzzles, data questions, and timed mixed sets.