Programming Aptitude Tests: 20 Important Facts you need to Know

Programming aptitude tests are designed to assess effectiveness in programming by determining how well you can solve problems requiring mathematical knowledge and logical reasoning.

You may want to try some free programming aptitude tests if you are interested in programming or starting a computer science degree. You will have a taste of the kind of problems you will need to solve as a programmer.

Programming Skills is a site that offers training and education, and also provides aptitude tests and programming language-specific assessments. The Programming Skills website is www.pskills.org.

The purpose of the programming aptitude test is to understand candidates’ knowledge and abilities to use the coding skills required to be a competent programmer.

The test is designed to help tech recruiters hire entry-level programmers, allowing them to carry out a full assessment of professionals before making a hiring decision.

Assessing a beginner’s coding aptitude is important when you’re analyzing development teams and increasing quickness since proficient programmers are not just known for their existing skills but also for their ability to learn new things and improve on their performance in the future.

20 Important Facts about Programming Aptitude Tests you need to Know

Here are important facts about programming aptitude tests that you need to know to excel in them:

1. What is a Programming Aptitude Test?

The programming aptitude test is designed to help recruiters hire entry-level programmers. The assessment is used to assess a candidate’s abilities to study and apply the skills required to be a successful programmer.

Linear thinking and learning ability are the two skills areas essential for high IT performance that the programming aptitude test evaluates.

If you are required to take this test, you don’t need any previous knowledge of a specific computer language or IT experience and it takes 60 minutes to complete the test, which is untimed.

2. What does a Programming Aptitude Test measure?

The programming aptitude test measures several skills, such as the technical knowledge and comprehension ability of a job seeker.

The core skills that the programming aptitude test measures include arithmetic, code and pseudocode, sequence and patterns, core technical concepts, intelligence, basic programming like C and C++, as well as problem-solving and logic.

3. Why should organizations use the Programming Aptitude Test?

Because of the involvement of numerous factors and the difficulty in assessing programmers, the programming aptitude test does magnificently in considering the future potential of candidates.

Therefore, based on sizable parameters a recruiter may find it challenging to measure candidates.

Instead of merely assessing the obviously deserving ones, they make use of the coding skill test online to gain significant insights into the candidates’ abilities.

Companies who want to improve their recruitment and development processes and avoid high-job turnover rates use the programming aptitude test to achieve this aim.

The programming aptitude test considerably reduces errors in predicting employee performance with their structured approach as organizations can identify exemplary candidates and remain informed about valuable contributions each one brings to their business.

4. The University of Kent’s Career and Employment Services

A programming aptitude test is administered on the University of Kent’s Careers and Employment Services website.

It’s a timed test in which you will be given 26 questions to answer in 25 minutes. The exam starts with three untimed practice questions; so it will take more than 25 minutes to complete.

When you want to review your result, you don’t need to provide any information or create an account.

The test measures problem-solving, logical reasoning, pattern recognition, and the competence to wade through complex procedures.

The questions are hard to complete within the time provided, although they are quite easy.

You will get highly knowledgeable about how well you can program in a high-stress environment with this test.

5. How useful is the Programming Aptitude Test?

The programming aptitude test gives you a sense of what kinds of skills programmers need to succeed.

You must enjoy toiling through a lot of problem-solving questions before you can enjoy a programming career.

If you didn’t do well on a programming aptitude test but you are interested in becoming a programmer, it’s not a sign that you should quit.

Having a high level of mathematical skills is a major reason for excellence in the programming aptitude test.

Another core skill set is creativity and the ability to confront coding challenges and competitions so you may win cash prizes or even job opportunities.

6. Learning new skills is essential in the Programming Aptitude Test

It takes time to learn a new skill of any kind, and programming is no exemption. Many people have struggled with a particular skill but later improved on it.

In order to discover what skills you have, the programming aptitude test is used as a powerful means to measure your skill development.

7. Why do I need the Adaface Programming Aptitude Test?

Employers and hiring managers make use of this test to identify qualified candidates from a pile of resumes.

The test helps them to make objective hiring decisions and decreases the stress of interviewing too many candidates and saves expensive time by filtering out unskilled candidates.

The Adaface Programming Aptitude Test evaluates candidates for the usual skills recruiters look for in a software engineer, such as:

• Ability to collect, study, and utilize complex technical information
• Ability to write scalable, executable, and reusable code
• Solving business problems with logical and analytical techniques
• Knowledge of basic DBMS, architecture, and Java concepts.

8. The Programming Aptitude Test is used to identify candidates that will do well

Hiring managers and recruiters use the insights they get from the programming aptitude test to identify the best candidates for the role.

You will have comfort conducting assessments online with the help of the anti-cheating features.

The programming aptitude test is the ultimate in helping employers discover which candidates have the technical skills to do extremely well on the job.

9. What is the importance of the Programming Aptitude Test?

A programmer is a person that writes code in various programming languages like Java, Python, C++, and more.

An analytical mindset for coding, studying the code, and testing in-house software programs is a must-possess skill for every programmer.

For you to employ such skilled professionals, it’s important to measure whether the applicant has basic programming knowledge and the ability to understand project requirements.

For many years now, the programming aptitude test has been in use for the programming career.

It’s a systematically validated assessment designed to evaluate the candidate’s aptitude for working with computers and the desired programming language.

10. What are the roles for which the Programming Aptitude Test is used to filter out candidates?

The programming aptitude test assesses the candidate’s ability to solve problems fast, which is important to do well in daily job tasks.

The test is designed to filter out candidates for different specific roles, including:

• Computer Programmer
• Software Engineer
• Software Developer
• Backend Developer
• Full-stack Developer

11. The Programming Aptitude Test score distribution

The authentic programming aptitude test score distribution will differ based on the candidate pipeline quality.

At least, if 20 percent of the candidates can do well on the test it has reached the expectation since the candidates are sifted. The normal curve is followed by the score distribution of the test.

12. The Programming Aptitude Test provides a combination of customizable MCQ’s and simulators

The programming aptitude test combines customizable MCQ’s and simulators that focus on the following:

• Determining a candidate’s coding skills and how well they can build an efficient code
• A candidate’s understanding of key technical ideas on a diverse set of technologies
• A candidate’s ability to code in general programming languages.

13. Six easy steps to build a Programming Aptitude Test

Here are the six easy steps you can build a programming aptitude test, including:

i. Build an MCQ test to find core technical concepts. Questions should be based on vital knowledge, concepts, applications, and analyses of a diverse set of technologies.
ii. Study the shortlisted coder’s problem-solving skills by asking them to execute real-world tasks or solve test cases using coding simulators. This measures the candidates’ coding proficiency in general programming languages.
iii. In addition, screen candidates for interviews based on detailed automated reports that thoroughly evaluate their coding aptitude.
iv. Validate the resume and find hidden skills via online interviews. A live coding analysis on the interview platform enables recruiters to get the actual picture of the candidates’ abilities and accomplishments.
v. Make an evidence-based decision and develop your hiring quality.
vi. Filter out candidates that meet your important coding criteria.

14. Multiple Choice Questions and Simulators

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ’s) and Simulators sift and evaluate new campus talent to help understand the core competency of a candidate and help hire the best potential talent to take on a range of coding tasks in the future.

15. What is the usefulness of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)?

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) are used to measure the candidate’s learning. These questions widely cover the topic or skill.

The focus is on higher and future levels of thinking when framed. This method gives a fast and accurate assessment of a huge scope of the content.

16. What is the best approach to evaluate coders’ skills?

The best approach to use to evaluate coders’ skills is by making candidates code and test quite a number of parameters, such as code quality, code efficiency, code correctness, and code scalability.

To get an actual sense of candidates’ ability and approach toward real projects with real-world challenges, coding simulators are taken on a platform.

Candidates are auto-graded in no time because they create codes from scratch, and this provides direct insight into their coding aptitude and on-the-job potential.

17. A list of coding aptitude tests

You need to identify the right candidate for any type of programming role. Here is a list of common coding aptitude assessments, such as:

• JavaScript Coding Test
• Angular JS Coding Test
• Ajax Coding Test
• Java Coding Test
• Python Coding Test
• R Coding Test
• JMeter Test
• Security Testing
• Redis Coding Test
• Oracle Coding Test
• Node JS Coding Test
• Java Full Stack Test
• Core Java Developer Assessment
• SAS Coding Test
• Python Coding Test

18. The Programming Aptitude Test helps recruit the best tech talent effectively and remotely

Since current tech businesses considerably depend on their efficient workforce to transform their ideas into reality, reputed organizations worldwide hire programmers who know more than just coding.

Therefore, new talents that are flexible and adapt to the latest IT trends are searched for by these organizations.

A good number of companies and employment agencies depend on archaic recruitment techniques and fail to take advantage of advanced recruitment tools.

The triumphant applicants may not be the best fit when it comes to employability skills, such as coding skills, aptitude for computer programming, personality traits, and problem-solving skills even if the hiring is performed through traditional methods.

19. The online Programming Aptitude Test

Organizations that utilize the power of online assessment tools are significantly more successful in creating a responsive, skilled workforce as compared to their competitors.

The online programming aptitude test delivers better results than the usual coding tests.

Screening of resumes and administering traditional coding tests are not only a time-wasting factor but also a lack of accuracy in assessing the candidate’s knowledge and skills.

These don’t give insights into a candidate’s coding proficiencies and job match. Organizations that make use of the online programming aptitude test for recruitment understand the difference in the quality of staff they test.

20. What are the most critical factors that separate the online programming aptitude test from the traditional way of testing?

Some of the most critical factors that separate the online programming aptitude test from conventional testing approaches are their ability to:

• Assess high-level problem-solving skills
• Analyze advanced problem-solving skills
• Revise test in accordance with specific coding skills
• Eliminate any act of cheating through remote proctoring
• Screen out candidates with limited skills
• If skills are mentioned honestly, validate the candidate’s resume
• Reach an objective and unbiased hiring decision

Programming Aptitude Test Practice Questions and Answers

Here are sample questions and answers you can utilize during your programming aptitude test preparation:

Question 1

C Declaration and Initialization Aptitude Question and Answer

What do you think the output of the following program should be?

int main(){
int m=10;
int x=printf(“%d “,m);
printf(“%d”,x);
return 0;
}

1. 10 3
2. 103
3. 10 2
4. 102

Answer and Explanation

The correct answer is 10 3

The total number of printed characters is returned by printf(), the statement int x=printf(“%d “,m) will print 10 (10 and one space) and return 3. Thus output will be 10 3 [103].

Question 2

C++ programming basic input, output, data types, declaration Aptitude Question and Answer

What is the header file needed to run this program?

1
2
3
4
5
6 #include <…..>
int main()
{
cout<<“Hello World.”;
return 0;
}

1. stdio.h
2. conio.h
3. iostream.h
4. ostream.h

The correct answer is iostream.h

Question 3

C++ Default Arguments Aptitude Question and Answer

1) There are the following statements that are given, which of them are correct about default arguments in C++?
B. The default arguments are used in C++ functions to provide optional arguments.
C. If we did not pass the value to the function then default values of arguments used inside the function, if argument declared as a default argument.
D. We can create an argument in the function as a default argument.
E. Default arguments sometimes reduce the creation of multiple functions using function overloading.

Options:

1. A and B
2. A and C
3. A, B, and D
4. A, B, C, and D

Answer

The Correct Answer is A, B, and D

Explanation:

Statements A, B, and D are correct about default arguments in C++.

Question 4

C++ String Aptitude Question and Answer

What is the correct output of the given code?

#include <iostream>

#include <string.h>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
string str1 = “ABC”;
string str2;

str1.copy(str2);

cout << str2 << endl;

return 0;

}

Options:

1. ABC
2. Syntax error
3. Garbage value
4. Runtime error

Answer and explanation

The correct answer is Syntax error

Explanation:

The above code will generate a syntax error.

Main.cpp: In function ‘int main()’:
main.cpp:10:19: error: no matching function for call to ‘std::basic_string::copy(std::string&)’
str1.copy(str2);

Question 5

Linux Basics Aptitude Question and Answer

1) There are the following statements that are given below, which of them are correct about Linux?

A. Linux is system software.
B. Linux is a multitasking operating system.
C. Linux was developed by Dennis Ritchie
D. Linux is an open-source operating system.

Options:

1. A and B
2. B and C
3. A, C, and D
4. A, B, and D

Answer and Explanation:

The correct answer is A, B, and D.

Statements A, B, and D are correct about Linux.

Conclusion

Employers use the programming aptitude test to determine if a candidate has the potential required to be a proficient programmer.

The test is a scientifically-designed method of assessment that evaluates an individual’s aptitude for working in the programming career field.

When used properly, the programming aptitude test helps identify deserving candidates from a pool of resumes.

For you to solve programming aptitude test questions correctly, you need to first read the questions carefully, after which you will know whether to solve them on paper or use a text editor.

Don’t look at the answer before making a guess of a correct answer, but rather view the answer to get an explanation about the correct answer.

Finally, repeat the process of solving the questions to be sure of your answers (if time permits).

This will help you to understand the ability you need as a programmer to learn and comprehend, as well as gain insights into the extent of knowledge you can apply and evaluate.