The LANTITE Numeracy component has two sections. For most of it, you have an online calculator. For 13 questions, you do not. This is the section most candidates are least prepared for.
The Numbers
| Section 1 | Section 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 52 | 13 |
| Calculator | Yes (online) | No |
| Recommended time | 90 to 95 minutes | 25 to 30 minutes |
The total time for the Numeracy component is 120 minutes. You allocate it across both sections yourself, but ACER's recommended split gives you roughly 25 to 30 minutes for the 13 non-calculator questions.
Source: ACER: About the test
One Rule You Need to Know Before You Start
Once you move to Section 2, you cannot go back to Section 1. The two sections are separated by a hard barrier in the test interface. If you leave Section 1 questions unanswered and move on, you cannot return.
Before you proceed to Section 2, make sure you have attempted every Section 1 question.
What You Can Use in Section 2
No calculator, but you are not working entirely in your head. ACER provides scratch paper and a pen:
- Test centre: one sheet of scratch paper at a time, plus a pen.
- Remote proctoring: two sheets of scratch paper, plus a pen.
Use the scratch paper. Writing out your working reduces errors and keeps your thinking organised under time pressure.
What the Non-Calculator Section Tests
The Numeracy component covers three content areas across both sections:
- Number and algebra
- Measurement and geometry
- Statistics and probability
Questions are set in everyday contexts: personal and community situations, schools and teaching, and further education and professional learning. Nothing is abstract or purely theoretical.
ACER describes the non-calculator questions as covering estimation and everyday calculations that do not require complex operations. Think: working out a percentage mentally, estimating a measurement, reading a value from a table and doing a simple comparison, or calculating a basic average without needing precise arithmetic tools.
These questions are not designed to test advanced mental arithmetic. They test whether you can work accurately with numbers in practical situations without reaching for a calculator every time.
Why Candidates Struggle With It
Most adults use a calculator or phone for almost any arithmetic in daily life. Mental calculation is a skill that gets rusty without regular use. Under timed conditions, even straightforward calculations can feel harder than they are because the pressure disrupts the thinking process.
The other issue is time management. Candidates who spend too long on difficult Section 1 questions arrive at Section 2 with fewer than 25 minutes left. At that point, 13 questions in under 2 minutes each becomes very tight.
How to Prepare for Section 2
Practise mental arithmetic regularly. Stop reaching for your phone calculator for small everyday calculations. Estimating change, splitting bills, calculating percentages in your head: these habits rebuild the fluency Section 2 requires.
Know your time split going in. Decide in advance how much time you are giving Section 1 before you move on. If you finish Section 1 with fewer than 25 minutes remaining, you are cutting it close.
Do not skip Section 2 in practice. Most preparation resources focus on calculator questions. Make sure your practice includes non-calculator questions specifically, under timed conditions and without any calculator access.
Use the scratch paper on every question. Even for questions that feel simple, writing out the numbers keeps your working clear and reduces careless errors.
There is no penalty for wrong answers. If you are stuck, make your best estimate and move on. An attempted answer is always better than a blank.
The Bottom Line
Section 2 is 13 questions out of 65. It is not the majority of the test, but it is the section most candidates are least prepared for. Candidates who do specific, timed non-calculator practice before their test date consistently find it more manageable than those who only practise with a calculator available.
Practise both sections before your test date
Our free practice test includes both the calculator and non-calculator sections in the same format as the real LANTITE.
Start free Numeracy practice testAll facts on this page are sourced directly from teacheredtest.acer.edu.au. For the latest test information, always refer to the ACER website.