Mathematics &

Numeral
Literacy
Aptitude Test

A study guide
Mathematics Aptitude Test - MASTER
▪ Test Structure:
▪ Part A: 25 objective questions
▪ Part B: 1 structured question

▪ Test Content
▪ Basic numeracy
▪ Basic algebra
▪ Problem solving
Mathematics Aptitude Test-DEGREE &
DIPLOMA
▪ Test Structure:
▪ 10 objective questions

▪ Test Content
▪ Basic numeracy
▪ Basic algebra
▪ Basic statistics
▪ Problem solving
Session 1: Basic Numeracy

4
Learning objectives
▪ At the end of this session you should be able to:
➢ add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions
➢ convert fractions to decimals and decimals to
fractions, multiply and divide decimals by
multiples of 10
➢ change a fraction to a percentage, find a
percentage of a number, increase/decrease a
number by a percentage
➢ round whole numbers and decimals
➢ use ratio and dividing in proportion
➢ understand exponent
➢ understand the order of arithmetic operations and
use some basic calculator functions
1. Fractions (simplifying and expanding)

numerator If we multiply (or divide) BOTH

numerator and denominator by the
denominator same number we don’t change the
value of the expression

▪ ‘simplifying’ or ▪ ‘expanding’
‘cancelling down’

6 2 (÷ top and 3 6
= = (x top and
9 3 bottom by 3) 4 8 bottom by 2)
1. Fractions (multiplying and dividing)

Multiplying fractions
Dividing fractions

2 3 23 6 3 1 2 1 5 5
 = = =  =  =
7 4 7  4 28 14 9 5 9 2 18
▪ multiply numerators
▪ invert second (to get the
▪ multiply denominators ‘reciprocal’) and multiply by
▪ simplify first
1. Fractions (adding and subtracting)

2 1 2  7 1  5 14 5 14 + 5 19
+ = + = + = =
5 7 5  7 7  5 35 35 35 35
▪ Find ‘common denominator’
▪ Expand both fractions
▪ Add or subtract numerators
1. Fractions (rewriting)

▪ You may need to rewrite any mixed fractions as improper

fractions BEFORE performing these operations
▪ ‘mixed fraction’ to ‘improper fraction’

4 1 (4  2) 1 (4  2) + 1 8 + 1 9
4 2= + =
1 + = = =
1 2 (1  2) 2 2 2 2
▪ ‘improper fraction’ to ‘mixed fraction’

7 (2  3) + 1 (2  3) 1 2 1
= = + = + = 2 13
3 3 3 3 1 3
2. Decimals

▪Converting decimals to fractions:

7
0.7 = , 4.61 = 4 61100 , 7.949 = 7 9491000
10
▪Convert fractions to decimals by dividing
numerator by denominator:
1
= 1  8 = 0.125
8
▪Multiplying a decimal by a multiple of 10:
3.27x10 = 32.7, 3.27x100 = 327, 3.27x1000 = 3270

▪Dividing a decimal by a multiple of 10:

43.1÷10 = 4.31, 43.1÷100 = 0.431, 43.1÷1000 = 0.0431
2. Fractions/Decimals in Pictures
1
= 0.25
4
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

1
1/2 1/2
1/3 1/3 1/3
1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4
1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6
1/10 1/10 1/10 1/10 1/10 1/10 1/10 1/10 1/10 1/10
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
5
= 0.833
6
3. Percentages
▪ Percentages are fractions out of 100 and can be written as
decimals
9 161
9% = = 0.09, 161% = = 1.61
100 100
▪ Converting a fraction to a percentage:
3 3 3  100 3  25
→ 100 = = = 75%
4 4 4 1
▪ Percentage of a number:
30 3 3  60 3  6
30% of 60 =  60 =  60 = = = 18
100 10 10 1
▪ Increase/decrease a number by a percentage:
6
e.g. To increase 5 by 60% = 3, 5 + 3 = 8
2
 5 = 6 5 = 6  5 =
60
60% of 5 = or
3 5
100 10 10 = 3, 5 + 3 = 8
5
4. Rounding

Thousands Hundreds Tens Units

7 2 8 4
▪ 7284 rounded to the nearest ten is 7280
▪ 7284 rounded to the nearest hundred is 7300

▪ Rounding decimals is similar e.g. 3.854 rounded to 1 decimal

place is 3.9
5. Ratios and proportion

▪ A and B are in the ratio 1:2

▪1 + 2 = 3
1 2
A 5
of A and of B
3 3
▪ 15ml in ratio 1:2
➢
1 15
B 10
 15ml = ml = 5ml of A
3 3
2 2  15
 15ml = ml
3 3
25
= ml = 10ml of B
1
6. Exponent

▪ Exponent : In exponential notation, the number of times the

base is used as a factor
▪ Base: In exponential notation, the number or variable that
undergoes repeated multiplication
EXPONENT
4
2 means
2  2  2  2 = 16

BASE
6. Exponent (continued)

− 3 means − (3  3  3  3) = −81
4

(−3) 4 means (−3)  (−3)  (−3)  (−3) = 81

− 33 means − (3  3  3) = −27

(−3) means (−3)  (−3)  (−3) = −27

3

3 10 means 3 10 10 10 = 3000

3

Scientific Notation
6. Exponent (continued)

Zero power ( x) 0 = 1 Quotient of powers

a
Negative Exponents x a −b
b
= x
−a 1 x
x = a
x
Power of a quotient
and
a
1 x x a

−a
= x a
  = a
x  y y
7. Order of operations

▪Do calculation from left to right obeying ordering:

❑ Brackets (innermost 1st)
❑ Exponents
❑ Multiplication and Division
❑ Addition and Subtraction

E.g. 5 + 40  (5  (12  3)) = 5 + 40  (5  4)

= 5 + 40  20
= 5+ 2
=7
8. Applied problems

▪ 30ml of drug solution consists of two thirds drug A (costing

10 cent per ml), a sixth of drug B (costing 50 cent per ml)
and rest of volume made up with water (no cost)
▪ How much does the whole solution cost?
➢A 2
→  30ml = 20ml → 20ml  $0.10 / ml = $2.00
3
➢B 1
→  30ml = 5ml → 5ml  $0.50 / ml = $2.50
6
➢Total cost =
$2.00 + $2.50 = $4.50
▪ How much water is required?

30ml − 20ml − 5ml = 5ml or 1 − 2 − 1 = 1 → 1  30ml = 1 30 ml = 5ml

3 6 6 6 6
Session 2: Basic Algebra

20
Learning objectives
▪ At the end of this session you should be able to:
➢ Add and subtract to solve equation
➢ Multiply and divide to solve equation
➢ Write simple equations to solve problems
1. Adding and Subtracting to Solve
Equations

Solve.
A. x–3=–6
x–3=–6
x–3+3=–6+3 Add 3 to both sides.
x=–3 Commutative Property
x–3+3=–3
B. –5 + r = 9 0
–5 + r = 9
–5 + 5 + r = 9 + 5 Add 5 to both sides.
r = 14
1. Adding and Subtracting to Solve
Equations (continued)

Solve.
C. –6 + 8 = n The variable is
–6 + 8 = n already isolated.
2=n Add integers.

D. z+6= –3
z+6= –3 Add –6 to each side.
–6 –6
z= –9
1. Adding and Subtracting to Solve
Equations (continued)

Solve.
A. p–7=–9
p–7=–9
p–7+7=–9+7 Add 7 to both sides.
p = –2 Commutative Property
p–7+7=–2
B. –2 + g = 5 0
–2 + g = 5
–2 + 2 + g = 5 + 2 Add 2 to both sides.
g=7
1. Adding and Subtracting to Solve
Equations (continued)

Solve.
C. –1 + 7 = r The variable is
–1 + 7 = r already isolated.
6=r Add integers.

D. a + 9 = –9
a + 9 = –9 Add –9 to each side.
–9 –9
a = –18
2. Multiplying and Dividing to Solve
Equations

Solve.
A. –5x = 35

–5x = 35 Divide both sides by –5.

–5 –5

x = –7
2. Multiplying and Dividing to Solve
Equations (continued)

Solve.
B. z
=5
–4
z
–4  = –4  5 Multiply both sides by –4.
–4
z = –20
2. Multiplying and Dividing to Solve
Equations (continued)

Solve.
C. –7x = 42
–7x = 42
Divide both sides by –7.
–7 –7
x = –6
2. Multiplying and Dividing to Solve
Equations (continued)

Solve.
D. z
=9
–3
z
–3  = –3  9 Multiply both sides by –3.
–3
z = –27
2. Polynomials
2. Straight line equation

y-intercept
Slope/gradient
3. Applied Problems

Sarah heard on the morning news that

the temperature had dropped 26 degrees
since midnight. In the morning, the
temperature was –8°F. What was the
temperature at midnight?
3. Applied Problems (continued)

1 Understand the Problem

The answer is the temperature at midnight.
List the important information:
• The temperature dropped 26 degrees since
midnight. In the morning it was –8°F.

Show the relationship or the information:

temperature degrees that morning

at midnight – temperature = temperature
dropped
3. Applied Problems (continued)

2 Make a Plan
Write an equation and solve it. Let t represent
the temperature at midnight and use the equation
model. t – 26 = –8

3 Solve

t – 26 = –8
+ 26 + 26 Add 26 to both sides.
t = 18
The temperature at midnight was 18° F.
3. Applied Problems (continued)

4 Look Back
The temperature at midnight was
positive. Its value is less than the
absolute value of the drop in
temperature. This makes sense,
since the morning temperature was
negative.
4. Exercises

Solve.

1. t + 9 = –8 t = –17
2. –15 = 3b b = –5

4. z – 16 = 30 z = 46
4. Exercises
4. Exercises (continued)

A roller coaster descends down a hill at a

rate of 80 feet per second. The bottom of
the hill is 400 feet from the top. How
long will it take the coaster riders to
reach the bottom?

5 seconds
4. Exercises (continued)
Good Luck and All The Best

40