The real test allows about 63 seconds a question in Decision Making. Work through these untimed first, then try again against the clock. If the question types are new to you, read the guide to Decision Making first.
Syllogism
All the buses that stop at Fenwick Road are electric. Some electric buses are double-deckers. None of the buses on route 9 is electric.
Question 1. Place Yes if the conclusion follows. Place No if it does not.
- No route 9 bus stops at Fenwick Road.
- Some buses that stop at Fenwick Road are double-deckers.
- Some double-deckers are not on route 9.
- All electric buses stop at Fenwick Road.
- No double-decker runs on route 9.
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: Yes, No, Yes, No, No
1. Yes. Any bus stopping at Fenwick Road is electric, and no route 9 bus is electric.
2. No. Some electric buses are double-deckers, but those need not be the ones that stop at Fenwick Road.
3. Yes. The electric double-deckers exist, and no electric bus is on route 9.
4. No. The first statement runs one way only: buses at Fenwick Road are electric, not the reverse.
5. No. A double-decker that is not electric could run on route 9.
Logic puzzle
Asha, Ben, Chloe and Dev each ordered a different drink: tea, coffee, juice and water.
- Chloe ordered tea.
- Ben did not order a hot drink.
- Dev did not order water.
- Asha did not order juice, and sat beside the person who ordered water.
Question 2. Who ordered juice?
- A.Asha
- B.Ben
- C.Chloe
- D.Dev
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: D. Dev
Dev. Chloe has tea, leaving coffee, juice and water. Asha sat beside the person with water, so the water is not hers; she did not order juice either, so she has coffee.
Juice and water remain for Ben and Dev. Dev did not order water, so Ben has water and Dev has juice.
Strongest argument
Should secondary schools start lessons an hour later in the morning?
Question 3. Select the strongest argument from the statements below.
- A.Yes, because teenagers like to sleep in.
- B.No, because schools have always started early.
- C.No, because some teachers might prefer to finish early.
- D.Yes, because schools that moved to a later start found that students slept longer and attendance improved.
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: D. Yes, because schools that moved to a later start found that students slept longer and attendance improved.
D. It rests on evidence and links the change to outcomes that matter to a school. A is a preference, not a benefit. B appeals to habit. C is speculation about what some people might prefer.
Drawing conclusions from data
| Year | Members | Share aged under 30 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 820 | 45% |
| 2025 | 1,000 | 40% |
Question 4. Place Yes if the conclusion follows from the table. Place No if it does not.
- The number of members aged under 30 fell between 2024 and 2025.
- The gym had more members aged 30 or over in 2025 than in 2024.
- Total membership rose by more than 20%.
- Most of the people who joined in 2025 were aged 30 or over.
- In both years, members aged under 30 were in the minority.
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: No, Yes, Yes, No, Yes
1. No. 45% of 820 is 369 and 40% of 1,000 is 400. The share fell but the number rose.
2. Yes. Members aged 30 or over went from 451 to 600.
3. Yes. The rise of 180 is about 22% of 820.
4. No. The table shows totals, not who joined or left, so nothing can be concluded about new members.
5. Yes. 45% and 40% are both under half.
Probability
A bag holds 4 red counters and 6 blue counters. Two counters are taken out, one after the other, without the first being put back. Kira says that taking two red counters is less likely than taking one of each colour.
Question 5. Is Kira correct?
- A.Yes, because the chance of two reds is 2 in 15 and the chance of one of each colour is 8 in 15.
- B.Yes, because there are fewer red counters than blue counters.
- C.No, because the chance of two reds is 4 in 10 and the chance of one of each colour is 1 in 4.
- D.No, because each counter is equally likely to be taken.
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A. Yes, because the chance of two reds is 2 in 15 and the chance of one of each colour is 8 in 15.
A. Two reds: 4/10 × 3/9 = 12/90, or 2 in 15. One of each: red then blue is 4/10 × 6/9 = 24/90, and blue then red is the same, giving 48/90, or 8 in 15.
B reaches the right verdict for a reason that does not establish it. In these questions the reason has to be sound as well as the Yes or No.
Sets
In a class of 30 students, 18 play netball, 15 play hockey and 4 play neither sport.
Question 6. How many students play both netball and hockey?
- A.3
- B.5
- C.7
- D.11
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: C. 7
7. Four play neither, so 26 play at least one. Adding the two sports gives 18 + 15 = 33, which counts those who play both twice. 33 − 26 = 7.
Logic puzzle
Five runners, Imogen, Jack, Kai, Leo and Mina, finished a race with no ties.
- Imogen finished before Jack but after Kai.
- Leo finished immediately after Jack.
- Mina finished first.
Question 7. Who finished third?
- A.Imogen
- B.Jack
- C.Kai
- D.Leo
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A. Imogen
Imogen. Mina is first. Kai, Imogen and Jack finished in that order, and Leo came straight after Jack, so places two to five are Kai, Imogen, Jack, Leo.
Strongest argument
Should packaged food be required to show its sugar content in teaspoons as well as grams?
Question 8. Select the strongest argument from the statements below.
- A.Yes, because sugar is bad for you.
- B.Yes, because shoppers picture teaspoons more easily than grams, and trials of such labels found that people chose products with less sugar.
- C.No, because food companies would not like it.
- D.No, because some people never read labels.
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. Yes, because shoppers picture teaspoons more easily than grams, and trials of such labels found that people chose products with less sugar.
B. It gives a reason the label would work and evidence that it does. A says nothing about labels. C is about who would object, not whether the rule is right. D is true of any label and does not show this one would fail.
Where to go next
- How to approach Decision Making: the question kinds, a method for each and where marks are lost
- Free Verbal Reasoning questions
- Free Quantitative Reasoning questions
- Free Situational Judgement questions
- Create a free account to practise by question kind, with your timing and results saved