How Rekenvaardigheid works
The subtest has 39 arithmetic problems, each with five answer options. They are made of additions, subtractions, divisions and multiplications. They start relatively easy and get harder.
TMA says speed matters a great deal here, and that the emphasis is on accuracy: it measures both arithmetic relations and how well you handle numbers. With about 8 minutes for 39 sums, you have around 12 seconds each, the fastest pace in the battery.
TMA names roles where accuracy and speed with numbers matter, such as finance. The score is reported on its own against a norm group at MBO or HBO/WO level.
How to work fast and accurately
At 12 seconds a sum, you rarely need the exact answer before you can choose:
- Estimate first. Often only one or two options are the right size.
- Check the last digit. 48 × 15 must end in 0, which rules out options ending in anything else.
- Learn the shortcuts: × 5 is × 10 then halve; × 25 is × 100 then divide by 4; × 15 is × 10 plus half of that.
- Division by a decimal: move the comma in both numbers until the divisor is whole. 7,2 : 0,4 is the same as 72 : 4.
- Take the early, easy sums quickly. They score the same as the hard ones at the end.
Worked example
48 × 15 = ? Options: 620, 680, 720, 760, 820. Times 10 gives 480, and half of that is 240. 480 + 240 = 720. A check: 50 × 15 is 750, and 48 is two fifteens less, 750 − 30 = 720.
7,2 : 0,4 = ? Move the comma one place in both numbers to get 72 : 4, which is 18.
Tips for the real subtest
- Expect Dutch notation: a comma for the decimal point and a colon for division.
- No source mentions a calculator. Partners say pen and paper are allowed, but at this pace most sums are done in your head.
- If a sum has not come to you in about 20 seconds, guess and move on. The later sums are harder, not worth more.
- Answer every sum. No source mentions marks taken off for a wrong answer.
Practise Rekenvaardigheid on CogniPrep
Our version matches TMA’s format: 39 sums with five options on an 8-minute clock, easy to hard, generated fresh each sitting. Tapping an answer moves you straight on; you can skip but not go back, and there is no calculator. It scores the number right and gives a 1 to 9 practice score with TMA’s Dutch label, against people practising here.