LANTITE Numeracy Test: Most Common Traps (and How to Avoid Them)
The LANTITE Numeracy Test is not about difficult maths — but it is designed to catch students out.
Every year, capable pre-service teachers fail the LANTITE numeracy exam because of avoidable mistakes, not lack of ability.
If you are preparing for the LANTITE Numeracy Test, this guide will help you understand:
The most common LANTITE numeracy traps
Why students lose easy marks
How to avoid careless errors — especially if your test is soon
1. Rushing Non-Calculator Questions (Major LANTITE Trap)
One of the biggest issues in the LANTITE Numeracy Test is rushing non-calculator questions.
These questions are deliberately designed to:
Look straightforward
Penalise rushed thinking
Test accuracy, not speed
Common non-calculator mistakes:
Estimating when an exact value is required
Forgetting unit conversions
Misreading percentages or ratios
✅ LANTITE tip: Always write your working out — even for “easy” questions.
2. Percentage Errors in the LANTITE Numeracy Test
Percentages appear everywhere in the LANTITE numeracy exam — tables, word problems, discounts, increases, and data interpretation.
Common percentage traps:
Forgetting percentages are out of 100
Confusing “percentage of” with “percentage increase/decrease”
Treating percentages as whole numbers
Example:
Finding 20% of an amount is not the same as finding a 20% increase.
✅ LANTITE tip: Convert percentages into fractions or decimals before calculating.
3. Unit Conversion Mistakes (Very Costly in LANTITE)
Correct maths with the wrong unit still loses marks in the LANTITE.
Common LANTITE unit traps:
Minutes vs hours
Kilometres vs metres
Litres vs millilitres
Dollars vs cents
Many students answer correctly — but in the wrong unit.
✅ LANTITE tip: Circle the unit the question asks for before starting.
4. Data Interpretation Errors (Graphs, Tables & Charts)
The LANTITE Numeracy Test frequently includes:
Tables
Bar charts
Box plots
Timetables
Common data interpretation mistakes:
Reading the wrong axis
Ignoring the scale
Assuming evenly spaced values
Forgetting totals when percentages are used
✅ LANTITE tip: Spend the first 10–15 seconds reading the data before calculating.
5. Formula Substitution Errors
The LANTITE usually provides formulas, but students still lose marks through incorrect substitution.
Typical formula mistakes:
Substituting values into the wrong place
Forgetting to convert time (months into years)
Skipping steps when writing the formula
✅ LANTITE tip: Write the formula first, then substitute values carefully one at a time.
6. Overconfidence on “Easy” LANTITE Questions
Some of the hardest LANTITE questions are the ones that look the simplest.
These questions often:
Hide an extra step
Include unnecessary information
Test careful reading rather than maths skill
✅ LANTITE tip: If a question looks very easy, reread it once more.
How to Avoid LANTITE Numeracy Traps Before Test Day
To succeed in the LANTITE Numeracy Test, focus on:
Accuracy over speed
Writing working out clearly
Understanding question wording
Practising real LANTITE-style questions
The goal is not advanced maths — it’s consistent, careful thinking.
Last-Minute LANTITE Numeracy Revision (Fast Track Option)
If your LANTITE test is coming up soon and you feel short on time, targeted revision can make a big difference.
The Fast Track LANTITE Numeracy video recordings are ideal for last-minute preparation and confidence building.
They include:
All key LANTITE numeracy topics
Non-calculator strategies
Common exam traps explained
Step-by-step worked solutions
Perfect if you:
Are close to test day
Want structured revision
Need clarity, not overwhelm
👉 Access the Fast Track LANTITE Numeracy recordings here:
lantitenumeracy.com/webinars
Not understanding everything straight away does not mean you’re bad at maths.
With the right strategies and focused revision, improvement is absolutely possible.
Onwards and upwards,
Barb 💙