LDU – Maths, Stats and Numeracy Support
Help to pass the TDA, QTS numeracy skills test
1) Structure of the test
Pass Mark is 17 out of 28. At least 1 must be correct from the mental arithmetic section.
There are special arrangements for students with specific learning difficulties.
Mental Arithmetic Section (often regarded as the most difficult part of the test)
• Questions are usually delivered through headphones, twice.
• Approximately 18 seconds per question after the second reading.
• 12 questions.
• Non-calculator.
• A small whiteboard is provided for your calculations.
On Screen Section
• On screen calculator.
• Timed out after 30 minutes.
• 16 questions.
• Mainly tables, graphs and statistical questions.
2) Mental Arithmetic Questions
Go to the TDA website www.tda.gov.uk and print out the sample mental arithmetic tests –
there should be 3 of them and a benchmark test. The benchmark test is included on page 2 with
answers on the following pages.
•
•
You are expected to know that ¼ = 0.25, ½ = 0.5, ¾ = 0.75, 13= 0.333…and 23 = 0.666…
There are quite a few percentage questions involving turning something INTO a % (tip:
= 60%) and finding a % OF something (tip: try finding 10% first).
•
•
Practice cancelling down fractions using the 7 and 8 times tables – they come up a lot.
Try to think of 1.50 as 1 ½ this makes multiplication easier for money questions.
•
A kilometre is always 5/8 of a mile. A mile is bigger than a kilometre.
•
•
•
It can help to turn hours into minutes first, in order to do time calculations.
Practice rounding numbers to one and two decimal places.
Practice your aural skills by getting a friend or family member to read out the questions.
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LDU – Maths, Stats and Numeracy Support
Note:
Practice Question)
2)
1)
6)
8)
Are money questions
7)
12)
Are time questions
11)
Is a fraction question
4) is a mile to km question
9)
Is quick and easy
3) is quite tricky
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5)
10)
Are % questions
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LDU – Maths, Stats and Numeracy Support
ANSWERS
PQ)
first find 3 x 28 = 84 then make the fraction
this needs to be turned into a % but
the fraction needs to be simplified first by dividing top and bottom number by 7. This
gives
which further simplifies to
which is 0.666… or 66.666…% and 66.7% to 1dp.
ANSWER: 66.7%
1)
Most questions about sponsoring involve multiplying 3 numbers together
18 x 30 x 5p
it is easier to do 30 x 5 first = 150p = £1.50 = 1 ½ pounds sterling, then do
18 x 1 ½ = 18 + 9 = 27
ANSWER: £27
2)
Make the fraction then double the top and bottom number to get now double
again to get = 72% (Remember percentages are parts of 100)
ANSWER: 72%
3)
.
=
(by multiplying the top and bottom number by 10)
Recognize that these
numbers are from the 9 times table and so divide by 9 to get
and then =
= 15
ANSWER: 15 litres
4)
5)
Make the fraction
x
=
x
=
ANSWER: 135 km
75% Subtract this from 79% = 4%
ANSWER: 4%
6)
120 x 1 (£’s) = 120 + 60 = £180
Also 75p x 100 = £75 Then 180 + 75 = £255
ANSWER: £255
Continue to next page
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LDU – Maths, Stats and Numeracy Support
ANSWERS
7)
Turn 2
hours into 150 minutes (2 x 60 + 30). 1 hour 42 minutes = 102 minutes.
150 – 102 = 48 minutes.
8)
130 x 1
ANSWER: 48 minutes
= 130 + 65 then take away 65 for refreshments and then 110 for the DJ
ANSWER: £20
9)
Move the decimal point 2 places to the right to give 603.
ANSWER: 603
10)
First find 10% of 50 = 5
ANSWER: 30 questions
11)
12)
so 60% must be 6 x 5 = 30
It is best to do the division by 7 first to get
= 12 ANSWER: 12 boys
First add on the 1 hour of the activity which gives 14:35 then add on 15 minutes ( of an
hour) to give 14:50
ANSWER: 14:50
Further Recommendations
Lots of practice will familiarize you with the format and language of the questions.
Remember to practice ‘little and often’. It is better to do 30 minutes practice
every day than 3 hours in one go.
For further help you can email Julie Kevill at
[email protected]
We can arrange 1-1 tutorials, small group workshops and
practice sessions for you.
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