Royal Navy Recruiting Test (RT) Reasoning Test Syllabus

In the group 'Cat, Dog, Sparrow, Horse, Cow', which is the odd one out and why?

Sparrow — it is the only bird; all the others are four-legged mammals.

In the number group '4, 9, 16, 23, 25', which is the odd one out and why?

23 — all the others are perfect squares ($2^{2}, 3^{2}, 4^{2}, 5^{2}$) whereas 23 is not a perfect square.

What is a letter sequence question?

A series of letters that follows a hidden alphabetical rule; you must work out the rule and supply the next letter(s) in the pattern.

Solve the letter sequence: A, C, E, G, ___ . What rule is used and what comes next?

The rule is +2 in the alphabet (skip one letter each time). After G (+2) the next letter is I.

Solve the letter sequence: B, D, G, K, ___ . What is the rule and the next term?

The gaps increase: +2, +3, +4, so next is +5. K (+5) gives P.

What is a useful technique for cracking letter sequences quickly?

Convert letters to their alphabet position numbers (A=1, B=2, ... Z=26), find the numeric pattern of differences, then convert the predicted number back into a letter.

What should you check for in alternating letter sequences such as 'A, Z, B, Y, C, X'?

Two interleaved series: one going forward (A, B, C...) and one going backward (Z, Y, X...). Track each series separately to predict the next term (here, D).

What is a symbol or shape sequence question?

A row of shapes or symbols that change according to a pattern (rotation, count, shading, size, or position); you choose the shape that continues the pattern.

What features of shapes commonly change in a shape-sequence pattern?

Number of sides, number of elements, rotation/orientation, shading or colour, size, and position of an added dot or line. Check each feature one at a time.

What is a coding/decoding problem in the reasoning test?

A problem where letters, numbers or symbols are substituted for others by a rule (a code); you must work out the rule to encode a new word or decode a given code.

If CAT is coded as DBU, what is the coding rule and how would you code DOG?

Each letter shifts +1 in the alphabet (C→D, A→B, T→U). Applying +1 to DOG gives EPH.

If the code for BAD is 2-1-4, what coding rule is used?

Each letter is replaced by its position in the alphabet: B=2, A=1, D=4. The rule is letter-to-alphabet-position numbering.

What is the best first step when tackling any coding-decoding problem?

Compare the original and the code letter-by-letter (or position-by-position) to discover the consistent transformation — a fixed shift, reversal, or number-substitution — then apply it to the new item.

What does 'continuing a logical series' mean in the RT?

Given a sequence of numbers, letters or shapes, you identify the underlying rule and provide the next item(s) that logically continue the series.

Find the next number: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ___ . State the rule.

The differences increase by 2 each time (+4, +6, +8, +10, then +12). $30 + 12 = 42$, so the next number is 42.

Find the next number: 3, 6, 12, 24, ___ . State the rule.

Each term is multiplied by 2 (geometric, ratio 2). $24 \times 2 = 48$, so the next number is 48.

Find the next number in the Fibonacci-style series: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ___ .

Each term is the sum of the two before it: $5 + 8 = 13$, so the next number is 13.

When a number series isn't a simple +/- pattern, what other rules should you test?

Test multiplication/division (geometric), squares or cubes, alternating two patterns, sum-of-previous-terms (Fibonacci), or differences-of-differences (second-order patterns).

What is the 'speed-accuracy balance' challenge in the RT Reasoning sub-test?

With about 18 seconds per question, you must answer fast enough to attempt them all while staying accurate; rushing causes careless errors but lingering means unattempted questions score zero.

Why is finishing all questions important under negative-free RT scoring?

There is no penalty for wrong answers in the RT, so an unanswered question and a wrong answer score the same (zero), but a guess has a chance of being right — so never leave a blank.

What is the recommended rule for 'when to skip and return to a question'?

If a question takes longer than your average time (roughly 18 seconds) and you are stuck, mark it, make a quick guess if needed, move on, and return only if time remains — don't let one hard question eat your budget.

How should you mark a skipped question so you can return to it efficiently?

Put a small, clear mark (e.g. a dot or star) beside its number, and take care to keep your answer-sheet position aligned so you don't mis-number subsequent answers.

What is the main risk of skipping questions on a separate answer sheet?

Misalignment — if you skip a question but forget to skip the corresponding answer bubble, every following answer shifts out of place, potentially marking many correct answers wrong.

What does 'working systematically through the answer set' mean?

Reading and considering each option in order, testing them against the question's rule rather than jumping at the first plausible answer — ensuring no better option is overlooked.

Why is it valuable to read ALL the options before choosing, even after finding one that seems right?

Reasoning questions often include a 'distractor' that is partly correct; a later option may fit the rule more precisely. Checking all options prevents choosing a close-but-wrong answer.

How can quick estimation help in numerical reasoning questions?

Rough mental estimation lets you discard options that are clearly too large or too small without full calculation, narrowing choices fast and saving time for the precise answer.

Combine elimination and estimation: how do they work together under time pressure?

Estimate the answer's approximate size to eliminate impossible options, then choose among the few that remain — this delivers a correct answer faster than solving fully from scratch.

In a deductive puzzle, what does the word 'all' versus 'some' change about your conclusion?

'All A are B' lets you conclude every A is B; 'some A are B' only guarantees at least one — you cannot extend a 'some' statement to 'all', a common trap in elimination.

What is the alphabet-position value of the letters needed for letter problems, and why memorise it?

A=1 through Z=26. Memorising it (or quickly counting in fives: F=6, K=11, P=16, U=21, Z=26) speeds up letter sequences, analogies and coding by avoiding slow counting.

For a shape sequence where a dot moves around a square's corners, how do you predict its next position?

Track the direction of movement (e.g. clockwise corner-to-corner) and the step size; apply the same movement once more from the last shown position to find the next corner.

What is the single best overall strategy summary for the RT Reasoning sub-test?

Read carefully but quickly, use only the given information, eliminate impossible options, estimate to narrow choices, attempt every question (guess rather than leave blank), and skip-then-return to the hardest ones to protect your time budget.