The calculator
The test has a simple on-screen calculator. You will need it throughout Quantitative Reasoning and now and then in Decision Making. It opens in a small window that you can drag out of the way of the data.
How it differs from the one on your phone
- It works in the order you type. It does not apply the order of operations. Typing 2 + 3 × 4 gives 20, not 14, because it adds first and then multiplies. Do the multiplication first, or use the memory.
- There are no brackets. For a sum such as (12 × 4) + (9 × 6), work out one part, store it with the memory key, work out the other and add the stored value back.
- There is no delete key. A mistyped number means clearing and starting again. Backspace clears; it does not remove one digit.
- It is not scientific. Four functions, percentage, square root and memory. Nothing else.
The memory keys
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| M+ | Adds the number on the display to the memory |
| M− | Subtracts the number on the display from the memory |
| MRC | Pressed once, shows what is in the memory. Pressed twice, empties it |
| ON/C | Clears the display and the current sum |
Use the keyboard
Clicking the calculator's buttons with the mouse is slow. The number keys work, as do + - * / and Enter for equals. If your keyboard has a number pad, use it: with a few weeks of practice your hand does the sum while your eyes stay on the table.
Keyboard shortcuts
Each button on the screen has one letter underlined. Hold Alt and press that letter.
| Keys | What it does |
|---|---|
| Alt + N | Next question |
| Alt + P | Previous question |
| Alt + F | Flag the question for review, or remove the flag |
| Alt + C | Open or close the calculator |
| Alt + V | Open the navigator |
Alt + N alone is worth learning. Over 184 questions, the mouse journey to the Next button adds up to minutes, and in Situational Judgement, where a question lasts 23 seconds, it is a real share of your time.
Flagging and the navigator
Flag for Review marks a question so you can find it again. It does not change your answer. The habit that works: choose your best guess, flag, move on. If time allows you return to it; if not, the guess stands and has a chance of being right.
The navigator lists every question in the current subtest and shows which are unseen, incomplete or flagged. You can jump straight to any of them. It covers the current subtest only.
The review screen
After the last question of a subtest, a review screen lists every question with its status. From there you can go back through all questions, only the incomplete ones, or only the flagged ones, or end the review and move on. The subtest clock keeps running the whole time, and ending the review ends the subtest: you cannot return.
The timer
The time left in the current subtest shows in the top right corner, above the question count. It turns yellow when fewer than five minutes remain. When it reaches zero a message tells you the time has expired and the test moves on.
The scroll warning
If a question is longer than the screen and you press Next before scrolling to the bottom, a box warns you that there is content you have not seen. It appears most often on Decision Making questions whose answer options are diagrams stacked down the page. It is easy to dismiss, and startling if you have never seen it.
Practise on the same screen
PrepForDoc's exam screen reproduces all of this: the calculator and its quirks, the same shortcuts, the flag, the navigator, the review screen and the timer. Use it for your timed practice and the test-centre screen will be familiar. The official site also has a short tour of the real screen, which every candidate should take once.
Official sources
Dates, fees and entry rules change every year. Always confirm them on the official page before you act on them.