Analytical Aptitude
Analytical Aptitude
What you will learn
- Calculate turnover, absenteeism, cost per hire, and ROI.
- Choose the median over the mean when outliers exist, and understand standard deviation.
- Distinguish correlation from causation and reliability from validity.
- Detect sample bias in surveys.
The exam doesn't expect you to be a statistician, but it expects you to compute the core metrics accurately and not leap from descriptive data to a causal conclusion. Most mistakes here are logical, not arithmetic.
Core formulas
| Turnover Rate | Separations ÷ average headcount × 100. |
|---|---|
| Absenteeism Rate | Days absent ÷ (employees × workdays) × 100. |
| Cost per Hire | (External + internal costs) ÷ number of hires. |
| ROI | (Benefits − cost) ÷ cost × 100. |
Worked example: ROI
A training program cost SAR 50,000 and produced measurable benefits of SAR 80,000. ROI = (80,000 − 50,000) ÷ 50,000 × 100 = 60%. The common mistake is dividing benefits by cost directly, giving 160%.
Reliability vs. validity
| Reliability | Validity | |
|---|---|---|
| The question | Does the tool give the same result when repeated? | Does the tool measure what it's meant to measure? |
| Relationship | Required for validity but not sufficient | Requires reliability |
Correlation isn't causation
If leadership program attendees got higher ratings, high performers may have been nominated in the first place. Proving impact requires a control group or pre/post measurement.
What matters on the exam
- With an outlier salary, the median represents the typical value better than the mean.
- Uneven response rates across groups mean sample bias; analyze each group separately.
- Line charts for trends over time; pie charts for parts of a whole.
Quick check
Answer in your head first, then reveal.
30 separations, average headcount 200. Turnover rate?Reveal the answer
15%.
100 employees, 20 workdays, 60 days absent. Absenteeism rate?Reveal the answer
3%.
What does a large standard deviation in a department's salaries mean?Reveal the answer
Salaries are widely spread around the average.
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Your next step
Read the lesson, then mark it complete
Sources
Used to verify the facts. The writing is original to Passuit.