AFPSAT Numerical Ability: Math Subtest Review Plan
AFPSAT Numerical Ability: Math Subtest Review Plan
AFPSAT Numerical Ability is a 45-item math subtest at 20% weight. Content stays within Grade 9-10 mathematics — arithmetic, ratio, proportion, basic algebra, simple word problems.
This post is the topic-by-topic plan that the AFPSAT 2026 pillar guide hands off to.
What AFP actually asks
Approximate item distribution:
| Topic block | Approx. items |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic operations | 10 |
| Percentages, ratios, proportions | 10 |
| Word problems (mixture, work, distance, age) | 12 |
| Basic algebra (linear equations, simple systems) | 8 |
| Geometry basics (area, volume) | 5 |
Arithmetic operations
- Order of operations (PEMDAS)
- Fraction operations (add, subtract, multiply, divide)
- Decimal operations
- Powers and roots (mental: squares to 12, cubes to 5)
- Divisibility rules
- GCD and LCM
The "too easy to drill" basics are where candidates lose 4-6 items per cycle to careless errors.
Percentages, ratios, proportions
- Percentage of a number, percentage increase/decrease
- Reverse percentage
- Compound percentage (consecutive 10% + 10% ≠ 20%)
- Ratio simplification, equivalent ratios
- Direct and inverse proportion
- Profit/loss, markup/markdown, discount
Word problems
AFPSAT word problems follow recognisable templates:
Mixture: solution concentrations Work: combined rate problems Distance-rate-time: travel scenarios Age: relative age relationships
Strategy:
- Read fully before computing
- Identify the unknown
- Write the equation
- Solve
Most word-problem errors come from skipping step 1.
Basic algebra
- Linear equations in one variable
- Systems of two linear equations
- Translating word phrases to algebraic expressions
- Simple absolute-value equations
No quadratics beyond simple factoring. No deep algebraic manipulations.
Geometry basics
- Area of squares, rectangles, triangles, circles
- Volume of cubes, rectangular solids, cylinders
- Pythagorean theorem
- Basic angle relationships
A 4-week Numerical drilling plan
| Week | Focus | Volume target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arithmetic + percentages + ratios | 100 items |
| 2 | Word problems (mixture, work, age, DRT) | 80 items |
| 3 | Basic algebra + geometry | 60 items |
| 4 | Mixed Numerical mock + remediation | 1 mock + 40 items |
Realistic Numerical scores
| Diagnostic baseline | Realistic test-day score |
|---|---|
| 45% | 65% |
| 55% | 75% |
| 65% | 82% |
Where Super Tutor fits
Super Tutor's AFPSAT track covers Numerical with item drilling. Free tier opens arithmetic; the Focused plan (₱49/week, ₱249/month, ₱1,999/year) opens word problems + algebra + mocks.
What to read next
The AFPSAT 2026 pillar guide covers the full review. Other sub-test plans: Verbal, Logical Reasoning, Spatial, General Information.
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