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What is the Thomas General Aptitude Test (GIA)?

The Thomas GIA measures how quickly individuals pick up new information. It typically takes 30–45 minutes, focuses on both speed and accuracy, and is completed using a computer mouse.

How Our Practice Mirrors the Format

Each task includes a brief introduction and progressively challenging questions. You can enable timing with a 4-second target per question to simulate test conditions.

Improving Over Time

Use the built-in results dashboard to track accuracy, average time, false positives/negatives, and more. Repeat practice to build both speed and confidence.

Detailed Test Components

Reasoning

Compares two names using a trait (e.g., taller/shorter, stronger/weaker). Statements may include negation ("not"), which flips the implied order. Questions often invert polarity (asking for "more" vs "less"). Mastery comes from quickly parsing the pattern A is (not) [trait-er] than B and answering without mentally simulating every possibility.

  • Goal: Identify who has more/less of a trait based on the statement.
  • Tip: Handle negation first, then apply the question’s comparator.
  • Example: “Tom is not stronger than Bill.” Who is stronger? → Bill.

Perceptual Speed

Presents four pairs of letters. Count how many pairs match (case-insensitive) and select 0–4 accordingly. Emphasis is on rapid, consistent scanning from left to right without backtracking.

  • Goal: Count matching pairs accurately and fast.
  • Tip: Tally out loud in your head (“one…two…”) and avoid re-checking.
  • Pitfall: Confusing similar shapes like I/L—train your eye to pause briefly on those.

Number Speed & Accuracy

Shows three numbers. The correct answer is the endpoint furthest from the middle number. You do not need to sort all three—just compare distances to the middle.

  • Goal: Select the number furthest from the middle value.
  • Tip: Compute |L−M| vs |R−M| mentally; pick the larger distance.
  • Aid: Enable the arithmetic number line to visualize distances instantly.

Word Meaning

Displays three words; two usually share a semantic category and one is unrelated. Identify the odd one out by grouping the two that naturally belong together.

  • Goal: Find the word that does not belong to the category implied by the other two.
  • Tip: Focus on meaning, not spelling length or part of speech.
  • Practice: Build familiarity with common categories (colors, animals, furniture, etc.).

Spatial Visualization

Compares symbol pairs that may be rotated and/or mirrored. Determine whether top and bottom match when accounting for transformations.

  • Goal: Decide if pairs match after applying rotation/mirroring.
  • Tip: Normalize the top at 0°, then mentally rotate the bottom in 90° steps and check mirror state.
  • Aid: Use one-click 90° rotations and flips, then reset—get immediate visual confirmation instead of mentally simulating.
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