Ah I understand, so I was close :D

Thanks a lot Matichk:ok:

I didn't know we can use calculator on Stage 1? Can we?

Negative. We can not.
You have to train your brain to be as fast as possible (in case you need it...maybe you are already good doing fast calculations in you head).

Good luck!

You cannot use a calculator at Stage 1.

Like Pat42 said, practise expressing times as fractions of 60. In fact practise fractions in general. It will help a lot!

Numerical Reasoning:
 

Dear Izach1,

This is Kingsley, the author of message/post 5748.

I deliberately asked the question like that, to catch people out.

(1) A/C flying at 18 miles per hour, hour long did it take to reach 140 miles ?

A. 7 hours and 8 mins

B. 7 hours and 7 mins

C. 7 hours and 48 mins

D. 7 hours and 42 mins

Solution: time = distance/speed. 140/18 = 7.8 hours ( approximately).

Now, this is the trick. Your 7.8 is in hours. So there is a fraction of an hour in your answer.
To convert that fraction into minutes multiply by 60. therefore (0.8 * 60) = 48 minutes.

Your answer is 7 hours and 48 minutes.


Try this Simple Exercise:

Convert: 4.9 hours into hours and minutes
Ans = 4 hours and (0.9 * 60) 54 minutes
4 hours and 54 minutes.

Convert: 6.7 hours into hours and minutes
Ans = 6 hours and (0.7 * 60) 42 minutes
6 hours and 42 minutes.

Convert: 7.5 hours into hours and minutes
Ans = 7 hours and (0.5 * 60) 30 minutes
7 hours and 30 minutes.

Convert: 7.7 minutes into hours
Ans = divide 7.7 by 60 = 0.13 hours.

Convert: 10 minutes into hours
Ans = divide 10 by 60 = 0.17 hours.

If you want more examples on (numerical and Spatial) and solutions, my email is [email protected] :D:D

Good luck in your preparation.

Hi Kingsley,

Thanks a lot for the help, I understand it now.:)

atc courses
 

Hi, fairly new on here so not sure if already been discussed, i have been into the MAN tower today and have always been fascinated by ATC, i currently work on MAN ramp as a tug driver so am always in communication with ground controller but have always wanted to be the guy giving the orders as to where to go etc, the only thing that frightens me about applying for a job with NATS is i'm not very good with maths and it takes me a long time to work things out, i am great on the RT so i have been told and know all the lingo, but also have a great understanding of how procedures work, any advice would be greatly appreciated as i would love to be a ground controller,

rgds Top-jet

TJ

You need to be a good air controller as well!
Seriously, dont be put off by the job you do now - my experience is that good controllers come from very different backgrounds.
Good luck! :ok:

Numerical test preparation Guide Stage 1.
 

Hi Gays,
if you are preparing for the numerical test for the stage one selection day, take a look at this question.

(1) What speed covers 30 miles for 50 minutes ?

Solution:
Given that you are not allowed calculator during the test how do you calculate the answer to the above question within 20 seconds?

This is how you do it.

speed = distance/ time = 30 divide by 50/60 (convert mins to hours)
now, by the time you divide 50 by 60 and then use the result to divide 30, you have spent a significant amount of time.

but if you do it like this, 30 * 60/50 you have eliminated decimals, and you see that it will be faster to divide 30 by 5 and multiply the result by 6
ans = 36 miles per hour.

N.B :ok:

If you want to divide a number by a fraction, you can multiply that number by the inverse of the fraction as shown above.

Hi guys,
I have been following the thread though may of missed a post on these, what are peoples thoughts on the online (SHL) tests you have to do before attending stand 1 and does anyone know what implications your scores on these have. Do they effect what happens at stage 1, say if you didn't do particularly well you wouldn't want to get up there and they turn you away so to speak? :confused:

Hi All,

I've got my Stage 1 coming up soon. I've read almost all the posts on here.

I know no calculators are obviously used in the numeracy tests but is scrap paper allowed for working out?

Also having difficulty doing the following calculations in my head, basically trying to work out the logical way of doing it.

1. At 15mph, how long does it take to travel 14 miles?

2. At 35mph, how long does it take to travel 21 miles?

Answers appreciated with the working out.

Thanks:)

1. 15mph = 1 mile every 4 minutes, so to travel 14 miles would be 14 x 4 or 56 minutes

2. Find a number that 21 and 35 are both divisible by - in this case 7. 3 x 7 = 21 and 5 x 7 = 35. So to travel 21 miles at 35mph would take 3/5th of an hour so 36 minutes

Cheers Elandel i'll keep my chin up and have a go at applying see where i get to :)

@ K_ShowMe

Im guessing you greeting everyone as gays was unintentional? :=

Thanks for the working out the_many_tentacles. :ok:

My Apology
 

Please accept my apology for using the word "gays " it wasn't intentional.
please swap a with u. thanks. Imagine that, even me could make mistake as well.:=

Regards
Kingsley.

Quick fix
 

Dear Q503,

No calculator nor scrap paper is allowed in you motivation test which include some numerical questions.

You are allowed scrap paper for your numerical test but no calculator. These are two different tests.

Answer to your Numerical Questions

1. At 15mph, how long does it take to travel 14 miles?2. At 35mph, how long does it take to travel 21 miles?

Solution 1

Time = distance /speed. = (14/15) hour.
To convert hour into minutes multiply by 60.

Hence your solution will be (14/15) * 60 = 14 * 4 = 56 minutes.
By bringing 60 into the equation makes it easy and faster to calculate.

Solution 1

Time = distance /speed. = (21/35) hour.
To convert hour into minutes multiply by 60.

Hence your solution will be (21/35) * 60 = 3 * 12 = 36 minutes.

Divide 21 by 7 = 3 and 35/7 = 5 , use that 5 to divide 60 = 12
So it follows that 3 * 12 = 36 minutes. :ok:

Hi K_showme


1. At 15mph, how long does it take to travel 14 miles?

I'm not able to do 14/15 in my head, so I divided 15 by 3 = 20
then divided 20 by 5 = 4

meaning 1 mile = 4 mins
then 4 multiply 14 =56 mins

But this just seems like a long winded calculation, where am I going wrong???

stage 3 questionnaire
 

Hi,

Just found out that ive passed stage 2 again and have been asked to complete a questionnaire ??? Anyone recently taken this after stage 2 ??? This seems a bit different to last time. Will have a look at it when i get the next email anyway.
Any info greatly received

Congratulations jimmy7860 :D

Stage 2
 

@ Jimmy

I did Stage 2 on the 9th of April and just got an email asking me to fill in a questionnaire too. Does this mean we passed Stage 2 but may still fail on the questionnaire? I wish they would explicitly say whether we passed the computer tests or not in the email.

CJshields
 

Congrats to passing stage 2 as well. I think it means that we have passed stage 2. Last year they did this to me at stage 1, asking me to fill out a questionnaire. It does say its a work based questionnaire so they maybe asking for background info into what you work like, what you do and maybe this compiles a better "image" of you for stage 3. Whether they need it for your stage 3 or it will be taken into consideration after stage 3 before you get your results i dont know.
Im taking it as ive passed stage 2 as the email does say, please fill this out then you will be given info on booking the next stage.
Thanks Q503 !!!

@ Jimmy
 

@ Jimmy

Think about each question when you are doing the questionnaire man, you can't go back to change your answers. I tried to answer each question honestly but sometimes I worried I wasn't being consistent enough. It worries me because one girl on here said she failed the personality test after Stage 1 last year. Oh well, I'll have to wait and see I suppose.

CJshields
 

Thanks for the heads up, ill do it when i get in from work tonight. It sounds like the one i took after stage 1 last year as this years one was different. Im guessing its the questions like which 2 statements are most like you out of a possible 4 ??? Coz i hate that !!!!
If it is the same as that then consistency is not too much of an issue, the best way is to answer honestly, if you try and answer how you think they want you to answer, thats is where you will come unstuck.
Im sure you will be fine, good luck with it and hopefully see you at stage 3 !!!

@ Jimmy

That's exactly what it is. 104 of those questions. My worries about consistency were not a matter of how honest I was but in some of the questions I agreed with all or none of the statements. Sometimes the statements were the same as in previous questions but worded differently, or were in a different list of options so the statement that I agreed with most previous time was not the one I agreed with most this time (if you get me).

Also with so many questions I actually felt a little differently closer to the end than at the beginning so my answers may have been skewed slightly too. I think these tests would be much more accurate if they had someone observe us completing exercises for a day (like in Stage 2) and then fill it in for us. There would be no alterior motive then and the answers would much likely be clearer.

If I were to wash out on the basis of a sneakily worded and confusing personality test I would be extremely disappointed! Hopefully that's not the case though and I will see you in Stage 3...:ok:

Manipulating Equations
 

Hi ya Q503,

You have to manipulate the equation slightly to simplify things further.

You have three options:

Option1 is (14 / 15 ) * 60

Option 2 is 14 *( 60 / 15 )

Option3 is (14*60) / 15

I would prefer option 2 to others, because 60 divide by 15 is 4 and multiplying it by 14 equals 56 minutes.

However, you don’t really have to work out 14/15 completely before using the result to multiply 60. you can work in fractions. That’s why it’s always a good idea to write out the equation in full.
So, if you encounter a fraction in your question, think of what you want to do with the result. In most cases, if it is not your final answer, you might be using it to multiply or divide another number. By bringing that number into the equation will perhaps simplify things. In as much as you want to be quick in your calculation, you also need to be accurate.

Take a look at this question for example:

(1) A packet of 20 sweeties cost 6.98 US Dollars. How much would 2 sweeties cost ?.

Solution: (6.98 ٪ 20)* 2 = 0.698 US Dollar.

Look at this now, if you decide to divide 6.98 by 20 in a bid to multiply the result by 2 , it will take you longer time to calculate than if
You divide 20 by 2 = 10 and then divide 6.98 by 10 = 0.698. U C wot I mean ?

0.698 US Dollar = 0.698 * 100 = 69.8 or 70 cents

Also take note of this: To divide a number by a fraction is equal to multiply that number by the inverse of the fraction.

For example.

(2) At what speed would My private jet cover 240 miles in 90 minutes ?
Solution : speed = distance / time
(240 * 2/3) = 160 mph is the same as 240 divide by 3/2 = 160 mph

So it’s good to rearrange equations for easy manipulations.
If you have done transfers functions, laplace transform or fourier analysis, you will know what I mean.

Cheers. I know, a lengthy note eh ? :D

Kingsley

Cjshields
 

Yep, that's the test I hate. Oooooh it's fun ! I'm going for a lie down now.
Let me know how you do !!!

Does anyone know Nikki's email address?

She had it on the board when I was at stage two last week but I've lost the notepad I wrote it in. I need to get in touch with her about that day.

If so, don't post it, but I'd appreciate it if you could please PM it to me.

Thanks in advance.

hi all
im about to apply for a 3rd and final time - bit annoyed to hear the personality questionaire now comes after stage 2. i failed on this first time round having not realised i could actually pass/fail on it.:ugh:
why do Nats keep changing the process?? surely it would be more fair if you sit all the online tests FIRST before they invite you to fork out your hard earned cash to come and sit their fancy tests down in fareham.

I have a question for anyone who has sat stage 1 recently - are all the tests still multiple choice? including the s/d/t paper?
cheers

ck_83
 

Yes, everything is multiple choice at stage 1. There is a personality test after stage 1 and stage 2 so prepare for them. I'm worried I might not have been consistent enough.

stage 2
 

who will pass stage 2 on 28 april?

So then got my stage 3 tomorrow. Quite nervous actually and I've been quite calm for the first 2, I hope it doesn't show through. I've done about as much preparation as I can so at the end of the day I either have what they are looking for or not. It's all in the lap of the gods now.

Anyway good luck to anyone else going for theirs tomorrow.

selection tests
 

@ k_showme ...

just have to say, excellent posts.... you have really regenerated my mind on the different processes , feeling pretty confident now ahead of my test a week tomorrow, thanks again mate - spot on:ok:

Question for those who completed stage 1 etc, got invited to do the questionnaire today, does this mean I passed stage 1 it doesn't explicitly say this but does mention about getting in contact about future stages?

cheapaschips
 

I was given that questionnaire as well and i passed stage 1, so i would take it that you have passed as well. It is a bit vague but congraatulations. That questionnaire isnt too bad just fill it out honestly and you will be fine. Good luck with stage 2 !!!

Aye, I filled the questionnaire in, just still a bit weird the e-mail because I never actually got an e-mail saying directly that I passed stage 1, maybe I didn't or maybe I just don't get it explicitly directly, always a bit worry about interpreting something wrong, guess I'll see.

Swanick Visit - Thurs 29th?
 

Hiya

Is anyone else on here visiting Swanick next Thursday? I'm going along for 1pm and apparently another Stage 3 candidate is there at the same time.

Validation
 

Hi there,

I am just about to go through the process and have done a lot of reading up, both on the forum and from other sources. I think I have a pretty good understanding of the recruitment process, and to an extent about the college.

What I am trying to understand is what exactly is involved when validating? Is it a set of modules and test like the college, or is it more constant observation? How is it/Who is it that deems you to be 'Valid' on a unit. And finally, how long does this take. I know the NATS carreers website says it takes about 3 years to be an ATCO, is that from college start to Valid contoller, or just the validation bit?

Cheers

A15

Hi, check your PMs

Hi guys, one question.

In what stage does NATS refound travel money to applicants, if any?