IBEW Aptitude Test: What's on It, With Example Questions

The IBEW aptitude test is the entrance test for most union electrical apprenticeships in the US: two timed sections, algebra and functions, then reading comprehension, with no calculator. It decides whether you get an interview, and at many programs it also affects where you land on the list.

Most descriptions online stop at “algebra and reading.” This guide shows what the questions actually look like. The examples below are original, written in the same style as the official samples, with the answer and a short explanation after each one.

The IBEW aptitude test at a glance

The test is developed by the Electrical Training Alliance (formerly the NJATC) and given by local apprenticeship programs. It has two parts, with a short break between them:¹

Section	Questions	Time	About
Algebra and functions	33	46 minutes	1 minute 24 seconds per question
Reading comprehension	36	51 minutes	1 minute 25 seconds per question

The rules that matter most:

• No calculator. Pencils and all other materials are provided, and even a watch with a built-in calculator has to come off.¹
• No electrical knowledge needed. You don’t need to memorize formulas or facts, and previous knowledge of electrical work isn’t required.¹
• Only correct answers count, so answer every question, even if you have to guess.¹

Scores are reported on a scale of 1 to 9 by local programs, and most ask for a 4 or 5 to interview. We compare the minimums program by program in our guide to the IBEW aptitude test passing score. For test day itself (ID, timing, what happens if you leave early), see our guide to the NJATC aptitude test, which is the same test under its old name.

What kind of math is on the IBEW aptitude test?

It’s algebra, not arithmetic drills and not electrical math. The Electrical Training Alliance’s own sample questions show five kinds of problems: plugging numbers into a formula, rewriting a formula in an equivalent form, finding the next number in a pattern, deciding which statement about a formula is true, and matching a table of values to the rule behind it.² Prep courses add the topics that sit underneath those, like solving equations, function notation, slopes and factoring.

Every example below is original. Try each one on paper before you read the answer.

1. Plug numbers into a formula

Consider the formula P = 2(L + W) − 3W. If L = 7 and W = 4, what is the value of P?

A. 10 · B. 14 · C. 22 · D. 34

Answer: A. Work inside the parentheses first: L + W = 11, so 2 × 11 = 22. Then 3W = 12, and 22 − 12 = 10. Order of operations is the whole question here.

2. Find an equivalent formula

Consider the formula y = 2(x − 3)(x + 4). Which formula is equivalent?

A. y = 2x² + 2x − 24 · B. y = 2x² + x − 12 · C. y = 2x² − 2x − 24 · D. y = x² + 2x − 24

Answer: A. Multiply the two parentheses first: (x − 3)(x + 4) = x² + x − 12. Then multiply every term by 2: 2x² + 2x − 24. Option B forgets to multiply the last two terms by 2, which is the most common mistake.

3. Continue a number pattern

What is the next number in this pattern? 4, 9, 7, 12, 10, …

A. 8 · B. 13 · C. 15 · D. 17

Answer: C. The pattern alternates: add 5, subtract 2. From 10 the next step is add 5, which gives 15. When a sequence goes up and down, look at the differences between neighbors, not just the numbers.

4. Decide which statement is true

Consider the formula a = 3 − b ÷ 2. Which statement is true?

A. When b is greater than 6, a is negative. B. When b is less than 6, a is negative. C. When b is greater than 3, a is negative. D. a is always positive.

Answer: A. a equals zero when b ÷ 2 = 3, so when b = 6. Any larger b makes a negative (b = 8 gives a = −1). Option C fails because b = 4 gives a = 1. Testing one number on each side of the turning point settles these quickly.

5. Match a table to its rule

x	0	1	2	3
y	7	5	3	1

Which rule fits the table?

A. y = 2x + 7 · B. y = 7 − 2x · C. y = x − 7 · D. y = 7x − 2

Answer: B. When x = 0, y = 7, so the rule starts at 7. Each time x goes up by 1, y goes down by 2. That’s y = 7 − 2x. On the real test, the answer choices can also be a graph, another table, or a sentence describing the relationship.²

6. Use function notation

If f(x) = x² − 3x, what is f(−2)?

A. −10 · B. −2 · C. 2 · D. 10

Answer: D. Replace every x with −2: (−2)² − 3(−2) = 4 + 6 = 10. Option B comes from treating −3 × −2 as −6. Negative signs cause more lost points than hard algebra.

7. Read a line from two points

A straight line passes through the points (0, −1) and (2, 5). Which equation describes it?

A. y = 3x − 1 · B. y = 2x − 1 · C. y = 3x + 1 · D. y = −x + 5

Answer: A. The slope is the change in y over the change in x: (5 − (−1)) ÷ (2 − 0) = 6 ÷ 2 = 3. The line crosses the y-axis at −1. So y = 3x − 1.

8. Factor a quadratic

Which expression is equal to x² − 5x − 14?

A. (x − 7)(x + 2) · B. (x + 7)(x − 2) · C. (x − 7)(x − 2) · D. (x − 14)(x + 1)

Answer: A. You need two numbers that multiply to −14 and add to −5: −7 and +2. Check by multiplying back: (x − 7)(x + 2) = x² + 2x − 7x − 14 = x² − 5x − 14.

If several of these took you more than a minute and a half, that’s normal at the start. Our IBEW aptitude test study guide maps each of these topics to a free Khan Academy unit.

What is the reading comprehension section like?

You read a passage and answer several questions about it. The official sample uses a passage about the history of a calendar, and notes that the real passages are longer.² The questions fall into three kinds: finding a detail, applying what the passage says to a new situation, and choosing which statement the passage supports.

Here’s an original example, shorter than the real thing.

Passage. When the town of Millbrook opened its first community garden, every plot owner watered whenever they liked. By midsummer, the shared tank often ran dry by noon, and gardeners at the far end of the lot found nothing left. The next spring, the garden committee split the plots into three groups. Each group could water on two set days a week, and nobody watered between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., when much of the water would evaporate. Plot owners grumbled at first. By August, though, the tank had not run dry once, and the committee reported that total water use had dropped by about a quarter.

1. According to the passage, why did the committee ban watering in the middle of the day?

A. The tank was refilled in the afternoon. · B. Much of the water would evaporate. · C. Gardeners were at work. · D. Plants grow less at midday.

Answer: B. The passage says it directly: nobody watered between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., “when much of the water would evaporate.” Detail questions reward going back to the text instead of answering from memory.

2. If the garden added a fourth group of plots, what would most likely happen under the same system?

A. Each group would get fewer watering days. · B. The midday ban would end. · C. The tank would run dry by noon again. · D. Nobody could water on weekends.

Answer: A. The schedule divides the week among the groups. More groups sharing the same days means fewer days each. The passage gives no reason to expect the ban to end or the tank to fail.

3. Which statement is supported by the passage?

A. Gardeners liked the new rules from the start. · B. The schedule reduced water use. · C. Millbrook built a second tank. · D. Gardeners at the far end left the garden.

Answer: B. The passage says total water use dropped by about a quarter. Option A contradicts “grumbled at first,” and C and D are never mentioned. On “supported by the passage” questions, the right answer is the one you can point to in the text.

What’s not on the test

Some prep sites and summaries describe things the Electrical Training Alliance doesn’t:

• No mechanical section. No gears, pulleys or levers. The Electrical Training Alliance describes only the algebra and reading tests.¹
• No electrical theory. You won’t be asked about circuits, Ohm’s law or the electrical code.¹
• No arithmetic-only section. There’s no separate test of times tables or fractions, but you’ll do plenty of arithmetic by hand inside the algebra questions, since there’s no calculator.

One exception matters: some programs no longer use this test at all. Boston’s program, for example, uses an aptitude test from GAN Human Resources with five areas: reading, numerical computation, numerical reasoning, paper folding and mechanical reasoning.³ If your program uses a different test, its page will say so. Check before you study for the wrong one.

Is the “electrical aptitude test” the same thing?

Usually, yes. “Electrical aptitude test,” “electrician aptitude test,” “IBEW test,” “NJATC test” and “Electrical Training Alliance aptitude test” are all names people use for this same two-part test for IBEW and NECA apprenticeships. The NJATC renamed itself the Electrical Training Alliance in 2014, which is why both names are still around.⁴

The exception is when a non-union employer or a different trade uses the phrase for its own test. If the program isn’t an IBEW and NECA apprenticeship, ask what test it uses.

How hard is the IBEW aptitude test?

The math is high school algebra, and the reading passages need no special knowledge. What makes it hard is the clock and the competition.

The clock gives you under a minute and a half per question, by hand. The competition is real too: the Electrical Training Alliance says many programs receive four, five, six or more times as many applicants as they have openings, and the test is used to decide who reaches the interview.² That’s why a score just above the minimum may not be enough in a busy area.

If you haven’t done algebra since high school, plan on a few weeks of steady practice. If it’s fresh, a week or two of timed practice may be enough.

How to prepare for the IBEW aptitude test

1. Find out where you stand. Our free IBEW aptitude practice test has 24 original questions at the real test’s pace, with no calculator. It gives you an estimated score from 1 to 9 and lists the topics you missed.
2. Study the topics you missed. The study guide links each topic to the matching free Khan Academy unit and lays out a six-week plan.
3. Do the official samples. The Electrical Training Alliance publishes a short set of sample questions with an answer key.² They’re few, but they’re the closest thing to the real format.
4. Practice against the clock. Accuracy without speed isn’t enough. Time yourself at about 85 seconds per question.

Frequently asked questions

What is on the IBEW aptitude test?

Two sections: algebra and functions (33 questions in 46 minutes) and reading comprehension (36 questions in 51 minutes), with no calculator. The math covers formulas, equivalent expressions, number patterns, tables and functions. The reading section asks about details, inferences and what a passage supports.

Is there a mechanical section on the IBEW aptitude test?

No. The Electrical Training Alliance’s test has only algebra and reading. Some programs that switched to a different test from GAN Human Resources do include mechanical reasoning, so check which test your program uses.

Can you use a calculator on the IBEW aptitude test?

No. Calculators aren’t allowed, and a watch with a built-in calculator has to be removed. Pencils and scratch paper are provided.

How long is the IBEW aptitude test?

The two timed sections take 97 minutes in total: 46 for algebra and 51 for reading, with a short break between them. Plan for extra time at the testing site for check-in and instructions.

Do you need to know about electricity to pass?

No. The Electrical Training Alliance says previous knowledge of electrical work isn’t required, and you don’t need to memorize formulas or facts. The test measures algebra and reading ability.

Sources

1. Electrical Training Alliance. Applying for an apprenticeship. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

2. Electrical Training Alliance. Preparing for the test: sample questions. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

3. Boston JATC. Interested in applying. ↩

4. Electrical Training Alliance. NJATC transitions into the Electrical Training Alliance (press release, July 28, 2014; PDF). ↩