Thurstone Test Of Mental Alertness (2026)

Practice scanning lists of numbers horizontally. Train your eye to look at the first digit and the last digit of a number simultaneously. This is called "chunking." On the TMA, you must look at "3,891" and "3,981" and see the transposition in 1.5 seconds.

The TMA has (in order of appearance):

The is a timed, group-administered assessment designed to measure general cognitive ability through the rapid processing of linguistic and quantitative information. Developed by psychometric pioneer Louis Leon Thurstone, it is widely utilized in occupational settings for employment screening and in educational environments for placement and gifted screening. 1. Purpose and Capabilities Measured thurstone test of mental alertness

Measures numerical and logical reasoning.

The results are typically reported as three distinct scores based on the number of correct answers: Measures verbal reasoning. Practice scanning lists of numbers horizontally

This is perhaps the most distinct section of the TMA. It measures the ability to visualize and manipulate objects in two- and three-dimensional space. Candidates might be asked to mentally rotate shapes or determine how a flat pattern would look when folded. While critical for engineers, architects, and designers, this skill also indicates a candidate's ability to think "outside the box" and approach problems from different angles.

If you are scheduled to take the Thurstone Test of Mental Alertness (usually via Pearson VUE or a proctored employer site), follow this protocol: The TMA has (in order of appearance): The

Direction: Compare the two numbers below. Mark (A) for "Same" or (B) for "Different."