Aspiring Minds Test Guide and Practice [2023]

Shlomik, AMCAT Test specialist at JobTestPrep.

Have a question? Contact me at: ask_shlomik@jobtestprep.com

What Is the Aspiring Minds Assessment?

The Aspiring Minds Assessment, also known as AMCAT (Aspiring Minds Computer Adaptive Test) is an online assessment used to screen candidates for a variety of positions. One employer using the Aspiring Minds Assessment is Amazon, which administers it to its Amazon Technical Academy (ATA) applicants.

The test is adaptive, which means that the difficulty of the questions depends on your answers - if you answer correctly the questions will be harder, and if you answer incorrectly the questions will be easier.

Hence, your Aspiring Minds Test score depends on the number of questions you answered AND their difficulty.

The test contains 24 unique multiple-choice questions to be solved in 35 minutes, and covers 3 topics:

 

  • Logical Ability
  • Quantitative Ability
  • Verbal Ability

Further below we give more detail about each topic, including sample questions and answers.

Note: Aspiring Minds was recently acquired by SHL, one of the world's top providers of pre-employment assessments, so the test may also be referred to as "SHL Aspiring Minds Test".

 

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Aspiring Minds Assessment Topics, Sample Questions, and Answers

Here are some more details on the 3 topics of the Aspiring Minds test, including one sample question for each:

 

AMCAT Topic #1 - Logical Ability

Logical ability questions on the Aspiring Minds Test will assess your ability to follow rules and come to conclusions. This will mostly be done in rather creative ways that are not used in similar assessments.

AMCAT Logical Ability Sample Question

Refer to the symbols below and their corresponding meanings. The given signs indicate the following operations/relationships:

  • X ? Y means X is less than or equal to Y.
  • X/Y means X is equal to Y.
  • X = Y means X is greater than Y.
  • X + Y means X is half of Y

Statements:

R ? A, B = A, and B/C

Which of the two conclusions is definitely true based on the information provided?

I. R ? C

II. A + C

Conclusion I
Conclusion II
Both
Neither
Correct Answer
Incorrect Answer

Let's translate each statement to conventional mathematical signs:

  • R?A translates to: R<=A
  • B = A translates to: B>A
  • B/C translates to: B = C

And the Conclusions:

I. R <=C

II. A = C/2

As for Conclusion II, it is easy to see that we have no information in the statements regarding the actual size of any variable, only their relationship.

Therefore, we can immediately deduce that Conclusion II is not necessarily true.

As for Conclusion I, we know that C equals B and that B is greater than A. Therefore, C is necessarily greater than A, which, in turn, is greater than or equal to R.

Now, mathematically speaking, Conclusion I would be perfectly correct, as R is indeed less than or equal to A.

However, according to the logical rules of the AMCAT, the conclusion is incorrect, since C is necessarily larger, and not equal to R.

The correct answer is, therefore, Neither.

 

The AMCAT test has unique and often counterintuitive logical rules, as you can see from the question above.

That's why we have developed an Aspiring Minds Test Practice that specifically addresses the rules of the test.

 

AMCAT Topic #2 - Quantitative Ability

AMCAT quantitative ability questions are generally similar to those used in other numerical tests and are designed to assess your ability to calculate and interpret numerical information.

These include number series, word problems, and calculations. However, they are considered trickier and more advanced than what you'd encounter in other tests.

AMCAT Quantitative Ability Sample Question

11, 12, 13, 15, 18, 23, 31, ?

1. 39
2. 42
3. 43
4. 44
Correct Answer
Incorrect Answer

This number series doesn't seem to make too much sense at first glance.

However, when looking at the series of differences, we get a clearer picture:

12 - 11 = 1

13 - 12 = 1

15 - 13 = 2

18 - 15 = 3

23 - 18 = 5

31 - 23 = 8

We get the following series:

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8...

So, the differences follow the Fibonacci sequence.

In the Fibonacci sequence, each number is the sum of the two previous numbers.

Therefore, the next number in the series will be 31 + (8+5) = 31 + 13 = 44.

 

The series of differences trick is a common one in the Aspiring Minds Assessment, and it is surely not the trickiest one.

The Aspiring Minds Test Practice combines all the common numerical tricks used in this challenging assessment.

 

AMCAT Topic #3 - Verbal Ability

This type of Aspiring Minds Test question basically assesses your ability to comprehend often 

AMCAT Verbal Ability Sample Question

The Macondo incident, in which a subsea oil well exploded in the Mexican Gulf, was unprecedented, but so was the oil industry's response. Based on the work of various industry task forces, improvements have been made in prevention, capping and containment, and spill response.

Task force recommendations are driving improvement in standards and practises related to well design and installation, and the industry now has the capability to quickly contain and cap a well in very deep water.

What capability was upgraded after the explosion?

1. Installing wells in very deep water
2. Design of wells
3. Recruiting task forces
4. Containing and capping
Correct Answer
Incorrect Answer

The passage clearly states that "the industry now has the capability to quickly contain and cap..."

Answer A is incorrect as there is no mention of installing wells in very deep water.

Answer B is incorrect as the question asks about capability, rather than improvements in standards and practices

Answer C is incorrect as the passage notes that a task force submitted recommendations for improvements, not for the recruitment of task forces.

 

Verbal ability questions in the Aspiring Minds Assessment are often overlooked by candidates.

That is a mistake - the need to read and solve quickly makes this type of question challenging and one that requires careful preparation in advance.

 

Get the Most Accurately Tailored Practice for the AMCAT

  • Questions addressing the specific rules and challenges of the AMCAT
  • Detailed answers and explanations
  • A full-length Aspiring Minds mock practice test

 

Other Tests by Inspiring Minds

Aspiring Minds also administers several other assessments, apart from the AMCAT. Here are the three most common ones:

This test uses three methods to uncover how proficient you are in the English language: Please note that the test can be taken for a variety of English variations, including US, UK, OZ, Filipino, and Indian English.

AMCAT English – Presenting 18 questions in 18 minutes, this test challenges you to properly understand and communicate via written text along with the spoken word. Vocabulary questions focus on synonyms, antonyms, and contextual vocabulary, while grammar inquiries focus on sentence construction and error identification.

SVAR -This technology is used to measure your use of vocabulary and grammar, as well as the ability to comprehend speech and pronunciation.

WriteX – This advanced technology will check your written English in essay and email form through grammar and typographical errors, content quality, and structure, among other metrics. 

Additionally, Aspiring Minds offers tests for coders, data-science and engineering, salespeople, customer service, and much more.

The Aspiring Minds Test, AMCAT, and other trademarks are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of the trademark holders are affiliated with JobTestPrep or this website.