WorkKeys sample questions, with worked answers

A: $10.45. Add the items first: $6.80 + $2.75 = $9.55. Then subtract from the $20 paid: $20.00 − $9.55 = $10.45.

B: 5 boxes. Area = 12 × 17 = 204 sq ft. 204 ÷ 45 = 4.53. A part box still has to be bought, so round up to 5 boxes.

D: 845.5 gal. Radius = half the width = 3 ft. Volume = π r² h = 3.14 × 3² × 4 = 113.04 cubic feet. × 7.48 = 845.5 gallons. Using the diameter as the radius makes the answer four times too big.

B: Supplier B, by about $0.08 a bottle. Supplier A is $30.00 ÷ 24 = $1.25 a bottle. Supplier B is $42.00 ÷ 36 = about $1.17 a bottle. B is cheaper by about $0.08.

1. A: 30 ÷ 24 = $1.25 a bottle.
2. B: 42 ÷ 36 = $1.1667, about $1.17 a bottle.
3. Difference: 1.25 − 1.17 = about $0.08, so B is cheaper.

The trap: Comparing the case prices ($30 against $42). The bigger case costs more but less per bottle.

C: $784.00. The first 40 hours pay 40 × $16.00 = $640.00. The 6 overtime hours pay 1.5 × $16.00 = $24.00 each, so 6 × $24.00 = $144.00. Total: $784.00.

1. Regular: 40 × 16 = $640.00.
2. Overtime rate: 16 × 1.5 = $24.00; hours: 46 − 40 = 6.
3. Overtime pay: 6 × 24 = $144.00; total 640 + 144 = $784.00.

The trap: Paying all 46 hours at $16.00 ($736.00), or all 46 at the overtime rate ($1,104.00). Only the hours over 40 get time and a half.

B: About 1.4 cubic yards. The radius is 6 feet and the thickness is 4 inches = 1/3 foot. Volume = 3.14 × 6² × 1/3 = 37.68 cubic feet, and 37.68 ÷ 27 = about 1.4 cubic yards.

1. Radius: 12 ÷ 2 = 6 feet. Thickness: 4 ÷ 12 = 1/3 foot.
2. Volume: 3.14 × 36 × 1/3 = 37.68 cubic feet.
3. Cubic yards: 37.68 ÷ 27 = 1.40.

The trap: Each slip has its own option: the diameter as the radius gives 5.6, leaving the thickness in inches gives 16.7, and stopping at cubic feet gives 37.7.

E: Not scheduled (off). Find Kofi's row, then the Wednesday column. Where they meet the schedule shows "Off".

A: 155. Each month adds 15 calls (50, 65, 80 ...). May is 110; 3 more months add 3 × 15 = 45, so 155.

C: Model D. First keep only models with output of 60 or more and noise of 80 dB or less: Model A, Model B, Model D, Model E. The cheapest of those is Model D at $3,000. A cheaper model exists, but it fails one of the conditions.

B: Ortiz. Find the Wednesday row, then the Evening column: Ortiz.

1. Find the row: Wednesday.
2. Find the column: Evening.
3. Read the cell where they meet: Ortiz.

The trap: Reading the Morning column (Patel), the one people land on first.

D: Thursday. Divide late by shipped for each day: Monday 3.3%, Tuesday 6.7%, Wednesday 2.3%, Thursday 8.0%, Friday 4.2%. Thursday is highest.

1. Late ÷ shipped for each day.
2. Tuesday: 9 ÷ 135 = 6.7%. Thursday: 12 ÷ 150 = 8.0%.
3. The others are lower, so Thursday.

The trap: Answering from the late count alone. Thursday has the most late orders here too, but on many questions the biggest count is not the biggest share.

B: 24 thousand kWh. Use falls by 4 thousand kWh every month (44, 40, 36, 32, 28). One more month: 28 − 4 = 24.

1. Find the change: 44 − 40 = 4, and every month falls by 4.
2. May is 28.
3. June: 28 − 4 = 24 thousand kWh.

The trap: Reading the axis label wrong and answering 24 kWh. The unit is thousands of kWh.

A: 4 feet. The 4-to-1 rule puts the base 1 foot out for every 4 feet of height: 16 ÷ 4 = 4 feet.

The trap: Turning the rule upside down and answering 16 feet out, or reading "1 foot" from the rule as the answer. The base goes 1 foot out for every 4 feet up.

D: A maintenance technician on the floor calls a parts supplier about a broken pump. Supervisors and maintenance staff may use phones on the floor for work calls. Every other choice is personal use on the floor, which is not allowed.

The trap: Choosing the packer whose line is down. A stopped line is still the production floor, and only supervisors and maintenance may use phones there.

D: No; the carbon monoxide reading is too high. Oxygen 20.1% is between 19.5% and 23.5%, 4% LEL is under 10%, and 2 ppm H₂S is under 10, but 41 ppm CO is over the 35 ppm limit. Every reading must pass.

The trap: Answering "yes" because three readings pass. The rule says every reading must be within limits, so one failing reading stops the entry.

C: $600. She qualifies (full-time, over 6 months, approved, submitted within 60 days). A C pays 50%: 50% of $1,200 = $600.

The trap: Answering $1,200 because she qualifies. Qualifying gets you into the policy; the grade then sets the share, and a C pays 50%.

C: Steel-toe boots. Find the shipping dock line in the notice. It lists steel-toe boots, high-visibility vest, cut-resistant gloves. The other options belong to other areas.

A: No action yet. Points in the last 12 months: 1 absence × 1 = 1, 0 late × ½ = 0. Total 1 points (the absences from 14 months ago have dropped off). Under 4: no action yet.

B: Dana can submit the request, because the one-day exception applies. The 13th is 3 days away, the request is for 1 day, and a coworker agreed in writing. All three conditions of the exception are met.

1. General rule: 14 days' notice. Dana has 3.
2. Exception: 1 day off, 3 days' notice, written agreement from a coworker.
3. All three hold, so she can submit it.

The trap: Stopping at the first rule. On WorkKeys, the sentence after the rule is often the one that decides it.

B: Lock out the main power switch and attach your lock. Step 2 comes after the stop button: lock out the main power and attach your personal lock before opening anything.

1. Find where you are: step 1 is done.
2. Read step 2: lock out and attach your lock.
3. Opening the guard comes only after that.

The trap: Jumping to the jam itself. Safety procedures are tested in order, and lockout before opening is the step the test checks.

A: Issue a $35 credit now, and tell the customer you will confirm a ship date once the warehouse gives one. A $35 credit is under the $50 limit, so no approval is needed, and it settles the complaint on the first contact. You must not promise a date the warehouse has not confirmed.

1. $35 is under $50: no supervisor needed.
2. No confirmed date: do not promise Friday.
3. First-contact goal: settle it now, and follow up on the date.

The trap: Asking a supervisor "to be safe". The document says the representative can do it, and the goal is to settle it on the first contact.