Flow Traders passing score and the 70-net practice target
Flow Traders does not publish one universal passing score, and public formats vary by region, role and recruiting cycle. This page explains the 70 net target on one 75-question, −2 practice configuration. TradeMind practice target: 70 net on this 75Q / 8-minute configuration (not a firm cutoff).
The Flow-style practice format
| Length | 75 questions · 8 minutes (≈6.4 seconds each) |
|---|---|
| Input | Multiple choice, 4 options |
| Scoring | +1 correct · −2 wrong · 0 skipped |
| Practice target | TradeMind practice target: 70 net on this 75Q / 8-minute configuration (not a firm cutoff). Format and scoring may vary by region, role and recruiting cycle. |
| Content | Integer add/subtract/multiply · decimals · fractions |
Take the timed version on the Flow Traders math test page. The set is fixed at 75 questions in 8 minutes, in the same order on every visit, so a 68 today and a 68 next week are comparable.
70 out of 75 does not allow six mistakes
School exams count correct answers. This configuration counts net score. Three worked examples, each with 75 items:
- 72 correct, 3 wrong, 0 skipped → net 72 − 6 = 66. It looks high, but it is under 70.
- 71 correct, 1 wrong, 3 skipped → net 71 − 2 = 69. One miss and three skips, and still one point short.
- 70 correct, 0 wrong, 5 skipped → net 70. Five questions left blank, and it still meets the practice target because skips are free.
The third case is the strategy the penalty rewards: near-perfect accuracy on the questions you answer, and skips on the rest. A candidate who almost finished with a few careless misses often scores lower than one who skipped more.
Expected value of a guess
Four options, one right, +1 / −2:
EV(blind guess) = 0.25 × 1 + 0.75 × (−2) = −1.25
Eliminate one option (three left):
EV = (1/3) × 1 + (2/3) × (−2) ≈ −1.00
Two options left:
EV = 0.5 × 1 + 0.5 × (−2) = −0.5
Still negative. Answering beats skipping only when you are more than 2/3 sure. That is a higher bar than most people apply under time pressure. A practical rule: if you cannot say in a second why each of the other three options is wrong, skip. Narrowing it to two is not enough.
Where points are lost
Most people who miss 70 lose points in small amounts across four areas:
- Timeouts at the end. Questions 65 to 75 never get a proper look. That is a pacing problem, and only full 8-minute runs expose it.
- Fraction near-misses. Add-across (numerator+numerator over denominator+denominator) and "used the larger denominator instead of the LCM" both appear in the option list.
- Decimal bookkeeping. The digits are easy; the place value is the question. Distractors are the same digits shifted by a factor of ten.
- Revenge guessing. Two skips in a row feels like falling behind, so the next unsure item gets a guess. That guess is often the −2 that drops a 71 to a 69.
How to prepare
- Untimed integers and decimals to near-zero error. With a −2 penalty, speed without accuracy is negative EV.
- Fraction fluency, including equivalent-fraction recognition (2/4 = 1/2) so you do not spend four of your 6.4 seconds reducing.
- Full timed runs on the simulator, one or two a day, reviewing every miss. The web set is fixed, which helps you learn this paper's traps but is not enough on its own. The app has a new set every day.
How Flow's bar compares with Optiver and CTC
Optiver-style 80-in-8 is commonly discussed at ~60 net with a milder −1 penalty and typed input. CTC has no penalty and no published mark. The Flow-style 75Q practice mode uses 70 at −2, a tighter arithmetic target. If you are sitting more than one of these in the same cycle, read Optiver vs Flow Traders vs CTC so you do not take an Optiver skip-rule into a CTC paper, or a CTC guess-rule into Flow.
Questions
What score do you need to pass the Flow Traders math test?
Flow Traders does not publish one universal cutoff. TradeMind uses 70 net as a demanding target for its 75-question multiple-choice training configuration with a −2 penalty. Other publicly described routes use different question counts and clocks, so it is not a confirmed HR requirement.
Is 70 out of 75 the same as 70 net?
In the TradeMind 75-question practice configuration, net is what matters: +1 correct, −2 wrong, 0 skipped. So 72 correct and 3 wrong is 66 net. This calculation explains the simulator's scoring; it does not establish a current universal Flow Traders cutoff.
Should I guess to hit 70?
Almost never. A blind 4-choice guess has expected value 0.25×(+1) + 0.75×(−2) = −1.25. Even with two options left, a guess is worth −0.5, so answer only when you are more than 2/3 sure. Guessing just to 'fill the paper' is a common way to turn a run that was on track for 70 into a fail.
TradeMind is an independent training tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Flow Traders or any other firm mentioned. The 70 figure is a TradeMind training setting, not a published official cutoff. Assessment formats and bars can vary. Linked practice questions are procedurally generated and do not reproduce actual test material.