12-Question G+ Practice Diagnostic

This mixed diagnostic is designed to reveal how you reason, not to imitate SHL’s proprietary interface. It contains 4 Numerical, 4 Deductive and 4 Inductive questions. Answer first, then open the explanations and label the reason for every error.

The numerical and visual inductive exercises below reuse original ReasoningCampus practice visuals from earlier ReasoningCampus materials. The deductive exercises and the final visual rule exercise are independent ReasoningCampus items. None are live or confidential SHL questions.

Numerical · Pie chart · reverse percentageHard

Question 1: Recover the Whole Budget from One Pie Slice

Figure: event-budget pie chart used for reverse-percentage practice.

Question. If the Venue slice equals £4,800, what is the total event budget?

A. £20,000 B. £18,800 C. £19,200 D. £12,632 E. £21,200

View the step-by-step solution and question typology

Typology: Reverse percentage / part-to-whole reasoning from a pie chart.

Formula: Whole = known part ÷ decimal share.

1. Read the share first. The pie chart shows that Venue is 24% of the complete budget.
2. Convert 24% to a decimal. 24% = 0.24.
3. Translate the information. £4,800 is not the whole budget; it is only 0.24 of the whole.
4. Work backwards. Total budget = £4,800 ÷ 0.24.
5. Calculate. £4,800 ÷ 0.24 = £20,000.
6. Quick check. 24% of £20,000 = £4,800, so the result fits the chart exactly.

Why candidates get this wrong: a common reflex is to calculate 24% of £4,800. But £4,800 is already the 24% slice. When a question gives you the part and asks for the whole, you normally divide by the percentage expressed as a decimal.

Correct answer: A. £20,000

Transferable lesson: whenever you see “X% equals £Y, find the total”, think reverse percentage: £Y ÷ X%.

Inductive · count interactionAdvanced visual

Question 3: Three Count Rules Change at the Same Time

ABCDE

Answer choices are labelled A–E below the visual.

Which option correctly fills the missing frame?

A. Option A B. Option B C. Option C D. Option D E. Option E

View the step-by-step solution and question typology

Typology: Multi-feature count interaction. Three symbol counts follow three separate rules.

1. Ignore the answer options first. Count each symbol family in the given sequence.
2. Crosses: 0, 1, ?, 3, 4, 5. The simplest complete rule is +1 each frame, so the missing frame needs 2 crosses.
3. Bottom dashes: 5, 4, ?, 2, 1, 0. They decrease by 1, so the missing frame needs 3 bottom dashes.
4. Equals signs: 0, 1, ?, 2, 1, 0. The complete symmetric count pattern is 0, 1, 2, 2, 1, 0, so the missing frame needs 2 equals signs.
5. Combine all three requirements. We need 2 crosses + 2 equals signs + 3 lower dashes.
6. Compare the options only now. Option A is the only option satisfying all three counts together.

Common trap: seeing one correct feature and choosing too early. An option with the right number of crosses is still wrong if its equals signs or lower dashes break their own sequence.

Correct answer: A (option A).

Transferable lesson: in complex inductive questions, make a small feature table. Solve each feature independently, then intersect the rules.

Numerical · pie chart · fee + VAT chainExtra hard

Question 4: Reverse the Pie Slice, Then Apply Fee and VAT

Figure: project-cost pie chart used for a reverse-percentage, fee and VAT calculation.

Administration fee: 4% of the pre-VAT total.
VAT: 20% added after the administration fee.

Question. If the Training slice equals £7,600, what is the final gross project cost?

A. £45,448.00 B. £45,600.00 C. £47,424.00 D. £39,520.00 E. £46,512.00

View the step-by-step solution and question typology

Typology: Reverse percentage followed by sequential percentage additions.

Method: Part → recover whole → add fee → add VAT. Keep the order exactly as stated.

1. Recover the pre-VAT project total. Training is 20% of the pie and equals £7,600.
2. 20% = 0.20, so pre-VAT total = £7,600 ÷ 0.20 = £38,000.
3. Add the administration fee. 4% of £38,000 = £1,520.
4. Subtotal after the fee = £38,000 + £1,520 = £39,520.
5. Add VAT last. VAT = 20% of £39,520 = £7,904.
6. Final gross cost = £39,520 + £7,904 = £47,424.

Why £39,520 is not the final answer: that figure includes the 4% administration fee but not the 20% VAT. The question asks for the final gross project cost.

Correct answer: C. £47,424.00

Transferable lesson: when percentages are applied sequentially, write the calculation chain before touching the calculator. This prevents applying VAT to the wrong base.

Inductive · rotating corner + arrow directionAdvanced visual

Question 6: Track the Corner, Then Track the Arrow Flow

ABCDE

Answer choices are labelled A–E below the visual.

Which option correctly fills the missing second frame?

A. Option A B. Option B C. Option C D. Option D E. Option E

View the step-by-step solution and question typology

Typology: Position cycle + directional dependency.

1. Find the corner position first. The visible corner states move around the rectangle: top-left → missing → bottom-right → bottom-left → top-left.
2. To complete a clockwise four-corner cycle, the missing state must therefore be top-right.
3. Now inspect the arrows. At each corner, one arrow arrives along one side and the second arrow leaves along the next side of the corner.
4. At the missing top-right corner, the horizontal arrow must travel rightwards into the corner, and the vertical arrow must then travel downwards.
5. Compare the answer options. Option B shows exactly that top-right corner relationship.

Common trap: tracking only the two black dots. The dots locate the corner, but the arrow directions decide whether the option is fully valid.

Correct answer: B (option B).

Transferable lesson: solve position before direction. Reducing a complex figure to “which corner?” often makes the directional rule much easier to see.

Numerical · actual vs target · proportional comparisonHard

Question 7: Largest Proportional Over-Performance

Figure: actual-versus-target sales chart used for proportional comparison.

Question. In which quarter did actual sales exceed target by the largest proportion?

A. Q1 B. Q2 C. Q3 D. Q4 E. Cannot determine

View the step-by-step solution and question typology

Typology: Percentage comparison using a changing denominator.

Formula: Proportional over-performance = (Actual − Target) ÷ Target × 100.

1. Q1: (£510,000 − £500,000) ÷ £500,000 = 2.0%.
2. Q2: (£620,000 − £600,000) ÷ £600,000 ≈ 3.33%.
3. Q3: (£570,000 − £560,000) ÷ £560,000 ≈ 1.79%.
4. Q4: (£690,000 − £720,000) ÷ £720,000 ≈ −4.17%, so actual sales were below target.
5. The largest positive proportion is Q2 at about 3.33%.

Why raw differences are not enough: the word proportion means the excess must be judged relative to each quarter’s own target. A £20,000 excess on a £600,000 target is not equivalent to a £20,000 excess on a different target.

Correct answer: B. Q2

Transferable lesson: when comparing percentages across groups, always identify the denominator. Here the denominator is the target for that quarter.

Inductive · two independent four-slot cyclesChallenge visual

Question 9: Separate Two Symbol Cycles Before Choosing

ABCD

Answer choices are labelled A–D below the visual.

Which option correctly completes the sequence?

A. Option A B. Option B C. Option C D. Option D

View the step-by-step solution and question typology

Typology: Multi-cell dependency with two independent cyclic groups.

1. Do not start with the large black symbols at the top. The stable, testable rule is in the lower 2×4 arrangement.
2. Separate the left group of four shapes: square, circle, diamond and triangle occupy four positions and rotate through those positions from frame to frame.
3. Following the first three frames, the next left-side arrangement must place circle + triangle on the upper row and square + diamond on the lower row.
4. Now separate the right group: parallelogram, hook, left arrow and down arrow also rotate through their own four positions.
5. The next right-side arrangement must be left arrow + parallelogram on the upper row and down arrow + hook on the lower row.
6. Combine the two predicted halves. Only option A contains both complete next states at once.

Common trap: treating the eight lower symbols as one complicated pattern. The question becomes much simpler once you split them into two four-symbol systems.

Correct answer: A (option A).

Transferable lesson: when a visual looks overloaded, search for independent subsystems. Solve each subsystem, then recombine them.

Numerical · threshold bonusVery hard

Question 10: Apply the Same 110% Threshold to Every Team

Figure: target and actual output chart used for the 110% threshold calculation.

Bonus rule: £750 for each team whose actual output is at least 110% of target.

Question. What is the total bonus pool?

A. £3,300 B. £750 C. £1,500 D. £500 E. £2,250

View the step-by-step solution and question typology

Typology: Threshold calculation repeated across categories.

Formula: qualifying output = Target × 1.10. “At least” includes an exact match.

1. North: target 100 → threshold 110. Actual 114, so North qualifies.
2. South: target 100 → threshold 110. Actual 109, so South does not qualify.
3. East: target 120 → threshold 132. Actual 126, so East does not qualify.
4. West: target 120 → threshold 132. Actual 132, so West qualifies because at least 110% includes equality.
5. Two teams qualify.
6. Total bonus pool = 2 × £750 = £1,500.

Key wording trap: “at least 110%” means ≥110%, not >110%. West qualifies at exactly 110%.

Correct answer: C. £1,500

Transferable lesson: translate threshold words into symbols: “at least” = ≥, “more than” = >, “at most” = ≤.

What G+ Measures

The SHL General Ability Test is designed to measure broad cognitive ability through three distinct reasoning domains: numerical reasoning, deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning. In practical terms, you may need to move from interpreting business data, to applying a set of logical rules, to discovering a visual or abstract pattern.

That mixture is what makes preparation different from practising one reasoning test in isolation. A candidate can be strong at percentages but lose time when switching into a rule-based deductive problem. Another candidate can recognise visual patterns quickly but make avoidable numerical mistakes because they select the wrong data base. Good preparation therefore needs both domain skill and switching discipline.

What the test is trying to measure

Format: Interactive vs Multiple-Choice

Two official SHL fact sheets are especially useful for candidates because they show why generic statements such as “the SHL G+ always has X questions” can be misleading. The older Verify G+ fact sheet describes a multiple-choice adaptive assessment with a maximum of 30 questions. The Verify Interactive G+ fact sheet describes an activity-based adaptive assessment with a maximum of 24 questions. Both list a 36-minute allowed time.

The key preparation lesson is simple: train the skill first, then train the interface and pacing that match your invitation. A percentage problem still requires correct percentage reasoning, but the way you enter or manipulate an answer can differ between versions.

Question Typologies: What to Recognise Before You Solve

One of the fastest ways to improve is to classify the question before you calculate or choose an answer. The label tells you which method to retrieve from memory. The diagnostic below therefore gives every question a typology, a short method, and a transferable lesson.

Numerical formula bank used in the worked solutions

Inductive feature checklist

Before selecting an option, scan the visual in the same order every time: count → position → direction → rotation → fill/colour → dependency. A candidate rule is not valid until it explains every relevant feature across the sequence.

Deductive rule checklist

Translate the wording into a small rule system. Ask: What is definitely stated? What follows necessarily? What would create a contradiction? What am I merely assuming? The correct answer must be forced by the information, not simply plausible in real life.

How Adaptive Testing Changes Your Strategy

Both SHL G+ fact sheets referenced in this guide describe adaptive testing. In an adaptive assessment, the testing system uses your responses to determine the level of challenge presented during the assessment. The exact scoring model is proprietary, so candidates should avoid trying to reverse-engineer their score from how difficult one question felt.

What adaptive testing should change in your behaviour

• Do not panic after a difficult item. Difficulty is not a reliable live score indicator.
• Protect accuracy. Random speed is not a strategy; solve with a repeatable method.
• Switch cleanly between domains. Finish the logic of the current question before carrying a method into the next category.
• Use your invitation instructions. Navigation, review options and interaction rules can differ by assessment.

The ReasoningCampus reset routine

Identify: decide whether the item is numerical, deductive or inductive. Reset: clear the previous question’s method from your working memory. Solve: use the shortest valid approach. Check: verify the critical condition, not every detail. Move: commit and transition without mentally replaying the previous question.

Scores, Percentiles and Pass Marks

Score interpretation is one of the most frequently misunderstood parts of SHL preparation. The safest starting point is the official position: SHL does not set a universal passing score. The recruiting organisation decides how assessment results are used in its selection process.

What a percentile means

Official SHL sample reports describe percentile scores relative to a comparison group. A percentile of 50 means that the candidate performed better than 50% of the people in the comparison group used for that report. The comparison group matters: a percentile is not simply “percentage correct”.

What the Interactive G+ report can include

SHL’s Interactive G+ fact sheet states that candidates receive a score for each of the three specific abilities as well as a general ability score. A sample SHL report shows separate General Ability, Inductive Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning and Deductive Reasoning percentile results.

How to Prepare Efficiently

The strongest preparation plan is diagnostic rather than repetitive. Instead of solving hundreds of mixed questions without learning why you miss them, classify every error and then practise the underlying decision skill.

Step 1: Identify the version in your invitation

Record the exact assessment name, time limit, platform instructions and whether the experience is interactive or multiple-choice. Do this before buying or choosing any preparation resource.

Step 2: Establish a baseline in all three abilities

Take a short mixed diagnostic. The important output is not only your total. Compare your numerical, deductive and inductive accuracy. If one category is significantly weaker, it should receive extra focused practice before you return to mixed sets.

Step 3: Build a repeatable method for each domain

• Numerical: question → data → calculation → unit check.
• Deductive: rules → implications → eliminate violations → conclude only what is forced.
• Inductive: separate features → test candidate rules → verify across every transition.

Step 4: Add task switching deliberately

Do not spend your entire preparation period solving numerical questions in one block, then inductive questions in another. Once your methods are stable, mix the categories so your brain practises the transition itself.

Step 5: Add time pressure last

Timing a broken method only teaches you to make the same mistake faster. First reach stable accuracy untimed. Then reduce the time window while preserving your error-control routine.

Step 6: Review the cause, not only the answer

Every error should receive a label. Examples: wrong percentage base, missed constraint, converse error, pattern guessed from one step, unit mismatch, over-calculation, or failure to reset after a different question type. Your error log becomes your personal curriculum.

7-Day Preparation Plan

If you have longer than a week, repeat the cycle with progressively harder questions rather than simply increasing volume. Your aim is fewer repeated error types, not a larger count of questions completed.

Common Preparation Mistakes

When to Use a Specialist Practice Page

The General Ability page should be your hub when the invitation names G+ or when you need mixed training across the three reasoning domains. If the invitation names a standalone assessment, specialist practice is more efficient.

Official Sources, Review Method and Editorial Transparency

This page was created to help candidates understand the assessment they may actually face, not to create another generic page built around a keyword. The factual format and scoring statements are separated from ReasoningCampus teaching recommendations.

Official SHL sources checked

• SHL Verify Interactive – G+ Assessment Fact Sheet — abilities measured, 36-minute limit, maximum 24 questions, activity-based adaptive format.
• SHL Verify G+ Test Fact Sheet — Numerical/Deductive/Inductive structure, 36-minute limit, maximum 30 questions, multiple-choice adaptive format.
• SHL Candidate Support: What is the pass mark for my test? — SHL states that it does not set passing scores.
• SHL Verify Interactive G+ Sample Ability Report — percentile and comparison-group interpretation.

How this guide was produced

The editorial process used official SHL documentation for product facts and then reviewed the diagnostic question set item by item. The numerical exercises reuse original ReasoningCampus charts from earlier ReasoningCampus materials; their calculations were recomputed before publication. The complex inductive visuals were checked against the visible sequence itself rather than relying only on older short answer notes, and the explanations were rewritten into explicit feature-by-feature reasoning. The deductive questions and teaching methods are independent ReasoningCampus educational content. No competitor question text or proprietary SHL item content has been copied into the practice set.

Editorial responsibility

Trademark note: SHL and associated product names are trademarks of their respective owner. References are descriptive and used to identify the assessment candidates may be preparing for.