Inductive reasoning tests are a great way to prove you have super problem-solving skills! Find out what inductive reasoning tests are and how to practice them in this guide.
What is an inductive reasoning test?
Inductive reasoning tests are a way to test your logical problem-solving skills by spotting patterns in a series of images. You may have also heard of abstract reasoning tests or diagrammatic style tests. They aren’t exactly the same as inductive reasoning tests, but they are very similar in their style.
Many employers use inductive reasoning tests as part of their hiring process to test the ability of applicants. They are often used a lot in engineering roles as problem solving is a very important skill for the industry, but you could do one to enter any role!
You may be required to do an inductive reasoning test during an assessment day for a job role or an apprenticeship. They could include things such as presentations, group tasks, interviews and…. tests!
What do you have to do in an inductive reasoning test?
In an inductive reasoning test, you will have to use a series of images to guess what the next image in the sequence will be within the time limit.
The main things you will be judged on are how correct your answers were and how quickly you were able to solve the problems.
Here is a simple example of a sequence:
In this sequence, we can see that the triangle alternates between black and white, and in each image the triangle has rotated 90 degrees in a clockwise direction. This means we can guess that the next image in the sequence will be a black triangle that is pointing upwards, just like the first image.
Why is it important to practise inductive reasoning tests?
Just like with all your tests in school, practice helps you do better on the actual test. That’s why you do so much revision and mock tests.
If you’ve never done an inductive reasoning test before, you might find it much harder to do well on the day. There’s a lot of things to look out for during these tests such as patterns in shape, size, numbers and most importantly the timer that is counting down!
To do well on the day of the test, it would be a great advantage to do lots of practice tests beforehand. You will be able to see how the tests are carried out, get used to how they work and what kind of questions come up, and the more you do them, the easier they will be.
You can practise your problem solving and time management skills when doing inductive reasoning tests just like you can with any other skill. If you want to show your potential employer the best you can do, practising is essential!
How can you practise inductive reasoning tests?
There are many resources such as inductive reasoning test practice books (just like your subject revision books from school). However, you can find many free tests on the internet that you can practise with.
Practice testsPractising an inductive reasoning test under test conditions will help you familiarise yourself with the test format and how it works.
You can also watch tutorials on YouTube that will break down the answers in practice questions, so that you learn what kind of patterns to spot and how to use your problem-solving skills efficiently in a short amount of time.
