SIG Online Assessment — Free Mental Math Practice
A SIG-style speed-arithmetic simulator: 70 questions in 8 minutes mixing typed answers and multiple choice across the three families these assessments are known for — difference-of-squares products, decimal magnitude, and ugly fractions. Pass mark 55. Free, no signup — one fixed practice set, the same questions in the same order every time.
70 questions · 8 minutes · mixed input
A mix of typed answers (difference-of-squares tricks) and 4-choice MCQ (decimal magnitude, ugly fractions). +1 correct; wrong answers cost −1 typed / −2 MCQ; skips are free. Pass mark: 55.
This is one fixed set — the same 70 questions in the same order for everyone, every time, so scores here are directly comparable. For a brand new set every day, per-topic practice with explanations, and progress tracking, that's the TradeMind app.
What this test is
Susquehanna International Group runs one of the most recognisable quant hiring processes in trading — famous for poker theory, expected-value thinking, and fast mental math. The arithmetic layer, as publicly reported by candidates, leans on trick recognition rather than raw grinding: see the shape, collapse the computation. This simulator reconstructs that layer as a timed 70-question set.
| Length | 70 questions · 8 minutes |
|---|---|
| Format | Mixed — typed answers (squares tricks) + 4-choice MCQ (decimals, fractions) |
| Scoring | +1 correct · −1 wrong typed · −2 wrong MCQ · 0 skipped |
| Pass mark | 55 net |
| Content mix | 24 difference-of-squares · 24 decimal magnitude · 22 ugly fractions |
The three families, and the one skill each tests
1. Difference of squares — shape recognition
37 × 43, 19 × 21, 65 × 75: every one is (a−b)(a+b) around a round base. The skill isn't multiplication — it's noticing the symmetry in under a second. Drill until "two numbers equidistant from a round number" jumps out before you've consciously read them.
2. Decimal magnitude — zero discipline
The digits are easy (15 × 4); the decimal placement is the entire question, and every distractor is the same digits shifted by a factor of ten. Candidates fail these not from weak arithmetic but from rushing the bookkeeping.
3. Ugly fractions — clean execution
Prime denominators (3, 5, 7, 11) force full cross-multiplication. With a −2 MCQ penalty, the discipline is executing four small steps without shortcuts — the distractors are precisely the answers the shortcuts produce.
FAQ
What is on the SIG online assessment?
Susquehanna (SIG) screens trading candidates with quantitative assessments that publicly available reports describe as heavy on speed arithmetic with a trick-recognition flavor: products like 19×21 that collapse via difference of squares, decimal-magnitude questions like 0.015×0.4 where the challenge is counting zeros, and fraction arithmetic with awkward prime denominators. This simulator drills exactly those three families — 70 questions in 8 minutes, pass mark 55.
What is the difference-of-squares trick?
Any product of the form (a−b)(a+b) equals a²−b². So 19×21 = 20²−1 = 399, and 45×55 = 50²−25 = 2475. Once you see two numbers straddling a round base symmetrically, the multiplication collapses into one square and one subtraction. SIG-style tests are famous for rewarding candidates who recognise this shape instantly.
How do I get faster at decimal magnitude questions?
Separate the digits from the zeros. For 0.015 × 0.4: compute 15×4 = 60, then count decimal places (three + one = four), giving 0.0060 = 0.006. The multiple-choice distractors are always the same digits with the decimal point shifted — so the digit work is trivial and the entire question is really about disciplined zero-counting.
Why 'ugly' fractions?
Sums like 2/7 − 1/3 don't simplify nicely — the denominators are prime, so you're forced through 21sts. There's no trick; the test is whether you can execute cross-multiplication cleanly at speed. The classic distractors are the sign-flip and the 'add straight across' answer, both of which are one careless step away.
Is this the real SIG assessment?
No — it's an independent, speed-tricks-focused practice set inspired by publicly reported SIG-style mental math, not a verified clone of any official SIG assessment. SIG's actual process varies by role and includes components (like probability and game-theory questions) beyond quick arithmetic. TradeMind is not affiliated with SIG.
TradeMind is an independent training tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Susquehanna International Group (SIG) or any other firm mentioned. This simulator is a speed-tricks practice set inspired by publicly reported descriptions of SIG-style mental math — not a verified clone of any official assessment. Question content is procedurally generated and does not reproduce actual test material; real assessment formats, question types, and difficulty levels may evolve over time.