The consulting numerical reasoning test is not a math contest. It is a data-reading drill under a clock, and the publisher named in your invitation decides the interface, the pace, and whether a calculator is allowed. Train the wrong product and you burn hours on GMAT-style algebra while the live screen asks you to judge True / False / Cannot Say against a table. After this piece you should match an invite to SHL, Aon (cut-e), Sova, or TestGorilla, work four classic item types with a repeatable method, and run a one-week protocol that builds speed without buying a third-party question bank.
What publishers say they measure
"Numerical reasoning" is a product family, not one exam. Read the publisher's own description before you invent a study plan.
SHL is blunt on SHL Direct: you answer using facts and figures presented in statistical tables. SHL's practice library offers both a standard multiple-choice numerical test and a mobile-enabled interactive version (drag-and-drop rather than A–E). The Verify Interactive Numerical Reasoning fact sheet on shl.com lists an 18-minute adaptive sitting with a maximum of 10 activity-based questions for mid-level roles that need to interpret budgets, trends, and margins. Older Verify Numerical products still advertise longer completion windows (around 30 minutes on some SHL product pages). Trust the module name in your email over a blog's generic "20–40 minutes."
Aon Assessment Solutions (formerly cut-e) publishes the format on its candidate preparation page. Numerical Reasoning (scales numerical) is 12 minutes and 37 tasks: finish as many as you can. You evaluate statements against numerical data sheets and choose True, False, or Cannot Say. Aon's practice PDF for numerical reasoning tells candidates to have pen, paper, and a calculator ready, and notes that each statement maps to one data sheet that does not change during the test. Separately, Aon's Applied Numeracy module is a different animal: timed sections on units, percentages, and related calculations. Do not confuse the two when your invite says "scales numerical."
Sova frames Numerical Reasoning Tests as assessing the ability to analyse numerical information and work with data effectively. The Candidate Preparation Hub tells you to bring pen, paper, and a calculator for ability questions, and to complete the publisher's own practice items before the live sitting. Sova is a platform: the hiring firm chooses the mix of numerical, verbal, logical, and personality sections.
TestGorilla describes its Numerical Reasoning test as covering computation, estimation, method selection, and data interpretation from tables, charts, graphs, and word problems. The publisher fact sheet lists 12 questions in 10 minutes at intermediate difficulty. That is the catalog product; an employer can bundle it with other modules, so total sitting time is often longer than ten minutes.
| Publisher product | What first-party material measures | Format cues from the publisher |
|---|---|---|
| SHL Numerical / Verify Interactive | Decisions from numerical or statistical data in a workplace context | Tables and charts; MCQ and interactive; Interactive fact sheet: ~18 min, up to 10 items |
| Aon scales numerical | Analyse numerical information; judge statement truthfulness | True / False / Cannot Say; 12 min, 37 tasks; calculator allowed per practice PDF |
| Sova Numerical Reasoning | Analyse numerical information; work with data | Tables/graphs inside an employer-configured battery; calculator for ability items |
| TestGorilla Numerical Reasoning | Computation, estimation, method choice, data interpretation | Catalog: 12 questions / 10 min; often bundled |
Which consulting firms name a numerical screen
Firms publish less than forums invent. Stick to careers language.
Bain is the clearest MBB signal. Its digital assessment hub states that intern and full-time consulting applicants may be required to complete a digital assessment, that the invitation specifies Sova or Test Gorilla, and that the sitting takes roughly 30–40 minutes. Bain points Sova candidates to Sova's candidate preparation area. Numerical content sits inside that package; Bain does not publish a separate "numerical only" product name.
BCG varies by market. The US Associate recruiting page describes the Consulting Career Assessment (CCA) as a 30–35 minute assessment sent after you apply, with a 48-hour completion window. Advanced-degree recruiting notes the invite can arrive from talentcentral@shl.com, which is SHL's delivery domain. Separately, BCG's UK Associate jobs page says successful CV review is followed by a short numerical assessment as part of the application. Treat CCA and "short numerical assessment" as related but not identical; follow the invite.
McKinsey does not hang its primary public early filter on a classic SHL-style numerical battery. The known digital screen is Solve. If a regional invite routes you through a third-party numerical module, believe the invite.
Big Four and boutique employers license SHL and Aon widely. An invite may still land as scales numerical or Verify. Open the publisher sample named in the email.
CoachNed is not affiliated with McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, SHL, Aon, Sova, or TestGorilla.
Calculator rules where firms actually publish them
This is where candidates leak points before the first question.
| Context | Published rule (as of 2026-09-24) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bain TestGorilla | Pen, paper, and calculator allowed for the digital assessment; calculator not allowed in subsequent interviews | Bain digital assessment |
| Bain Sova | Pen, paper, and calculator allowed for the digital assessment only | Same Bain page |
| Sova ability questions (publisher) | Bring pen, paper, and calculator | Sova Candidate Preparation Hub |
| Aon numerical reasoning practice | Pen, paper, and calculator to hand | Aon practice PDF |
| BCG online case practice booklet (France) | Basic calculator allowed; no spreadsheet | BCG practice case PDF |
| BCG Stockholm logical reasoning test | Calculator not allowed | BCG Stockholm explore roles |
If the invite is silent, read the on-screen instructions before you start. Do not assume Bain's calculator rule applies to every SHL Verify sitting, and do not assume a banned calculator means you should skip mental-math drills. Live case interviews still expect clean arithmetic without a machine.
Four item types, with original worked examples
These examples are editorial. They are not copied from any publisher bank. Learn the method, then switch to the official sample for your named product.
1. Table reading
Northwind Logistics reports Q2 operating costs by hub (USD thousands):
| Hub | Labor | Fuel | Facilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian | 420 | 180 | 95 |
| Oakridge | 310 | 240 | 110 |
| Seaport | 505 | 155 | 88 |
Question: Which hub has the highest share of fuel in its three-line total?
Worked path. Meridian total 420 + 180 + 95 = 695; fuel share 180 / 695 ≈ 0.259. Oakridge 310 + 240 + 110 = 660; 240 / 660 ≈ 0.364. Seaport 505 + 155 + 88 = 748; 155 / 748 ≈ 0.207. Oakridge wins. The trap is picking the largest fuel absolute (Oakridge happens to win both) or the largest total hub (Seaport) without computing the share.
2. Percentage change
Harborcrest Analytics sold 48 enterprise seats in March and 63 in June. What was the percentage increase from March to June?
Worked path. Change = 63 − 48 = 15. Base = 48. 15 / 48 = 0.3125 → 31.25%. Round only after you know how close the answer options sit. If choices are 25%, 31%, 33%, 40%, stop at "about 31%" and lock it. If two options straddle 31%, finish the exact fraction.
3. Ratios
A pilot team of 12 consultants bills in a 5 : 3 : 4 mix of strategy, ops, and analytics hours. Total billable hours in the week are 480. How many hours went to ops?
Worked path. Parts = 5 + 3 + 4 = 12. One part = 480 / 12 = 40. Ops = 3 × 40 = 120 hours. Check: strategy 200 + ops 120 + analytics 160 = 480. Ratio questions fail when someone multiplies 480 by 3/5 instead of 3/12.
4. Rate problems
A warehouse picks 840 units in 3.5 hours with 6 pickers working at the same rate. How many units can 8 pickers pick in 2 hours at the same rate?
Worked path. First find the per-picker-hour rate: 840 / (6 × 3.5) = 840 / 21 = 40 units per picker-hour. Then 8 × 2 × 40 = 640 units. The common mistake is scaling hours or headcount alone and forgetting both dimensions.
Ned's rule. On a numerical screen I care less about whether you know the formula and more about whether you name the right base and the right unit before you multiply. Say the base out loud ("change over March seats," "fuel over hub total," "parts out of twelve") and most of the careless errors disappear.
A one-week practice protocol
Skip paid "consulting numerical packs" from third-party sellers. Use the publishers' free samples for format, then build calculation speed on a timer.
Day 1–2: Match the invite. Open the product named in your email. For Bain, start at Bain's digital assessment page and the Sova hub or TestGorilla's public description. For SHL, run both the standard and interactive numerical practices. For Aon, read the scales numerical overview and the practice PDF. Note calculator rules before you touch a stopwatch.
Day 3–4: Drill the four item types. Write ten original table, percentage, ratio, and rate items (or reuse the four above and invent variants). Cap each at 90 seconds. Score accuracy first; speed only after you stop misreading bases.
Day 5–6: Add case-adjacent numericals. BCG-style online numericals reward the same table discipline under a case narrative. Use CoachNed's CCA simulator for that shape, and Quick Math (free forever) for percentage and ratio speed. Open for seven days with no card; then $120 for a recruiting season or $49 a month.
Day 7: Dress rehearsal. One publisher sample, one timed Quick Math block, one CCA set. Same desk and calculator policy as the invite.
Frequently asked questions
Is the consulting numerical reasoning test the same at every firm?
No. Bain names Sova or TestGorilla. BCG US routes many applicants through the CCA (often delivered via SHL). Other employers license SHL Verify or Aon scales numerical. The skill overlaps; the interface and timing do not.
Are calculators allowed on consulting numerical tests?
Only where the firm or publisher says so. Bain allows a calculator on both Sova and TestGorilla digital assessments. Sova and Aon practice materials instruct candidates to have a calculator ready for ability or numerical modules. Some BCG regional tests ban calculators. Read the invite and the on-screen rules.
What score do I need to pass?
Publishers and firms almost never publish a universal cutoff. Cognitive scores are typically normed (percentiles against a comparison group). Treat "I need 80%" folklore as folklore. Aim to finish cleanly within the published time and to miss only the items you consciously skipped.
How is this different from case interview math?
The screen is multiple-choice or True / False / Cannot Say against fixed exhibits. The case is spoken, open-ended, and scored for structure as well as arithmetic. The arithmetic itself — percentages, ratios, rates — transfers. The communication does not.
Should I prep verbal and deductive sections too?
If your invite is a blended battery (Sova, TestGorilla, or SHL multi-test), yes. Numerical alone will not carry a package that also scores verbal or logical modules. See the sibling guides on those formats when your email lists them.
Sources
- SHL Direct — Numerical Reasoning example questions — table-based definition of SHL numerical items. Checked 2026-09-24.
- SHL Direct — Practice tests — standard MCQ vs interactive numerical formats. Checked 2026-09-24.
- SHL Verify Interactive Numerical Reasoning fact sheet (PDF) — 18 minutes, up to 10 adaptive interactive items. Checked 2026-09-24.
- Aon — Prepare for your online assessment — scales numerical: 12 minutes, 37 tasks, statement evaluation. Checked 2026-09-24.
- Aon — Practice tasks, numerical reasoning (PDF) — True / False / Cannot Say format; calculator guidance. Checked 2026-09-24.
- Sova — Candidate Preparation Hub — numerical ability description; pen, paper, calculator for ability questions. Checked 2026-09-24.
- TestGorilla — Numerical Reasoning test — four question types and skill coverage. Checked 2026-09-24.
- TestGorilla — Numerical Reasoning fact sheet — 12 questions, 10 minutes. Checked 2026-09-24.
- Bain & Company — Digital assessment — Sova or TestGorilla; calculator rules; ~30–40 minutes. Checked 2026-09-24.
- BCG Careers — US Associate opportunities — CCA timing and window. Checked 2026-09-24.
- BCG Careers — UK Associate jobs — short numerical assessment in the UK process. Checked 2026-09-24.
- BCG — Online case practice booklet (PDF) — basic calculator allowed on the practice case. Checked 2026-09-24.