What is the Bennet Test of Mechanical Comprehension?
The Bennet Test of Mechanical comprehension is a test that we used to measure the mechanical problem solving ability of a candidate. More precisely, it evaluates how well an individual can identify the effect of physical forces on mechanics. This test is usually used in the engineering and mechanical industry. Examples of occupations that may require you to take this exam are the position of a train driver, a job in the armed-forces, engineering jobs, emergency services, etc. A high score on this test portrays high mechanical aptitude.
How does the Bennet Test of Mechanical Aptitude work?
The Bennet test comprises a total of 68 questions. Each candidate is allowed 30 minutes to complete the test. In other words, each question is expected to be solved within 30 seconds. An example of a question on the Bennet Test would be as follows.
‘Consider 3 gears attached to each other as shown below. If the leftmost gear rotates in the anti-clockwise direction, in which direction would the rightmost gear move? Would it be in the direction of arrow A or arrow B?’
Such questions test spatial awareness, ability to apply basic mechanical and physical concepts, reasoning abilities, etc.
How difficult is the Bennet Test of Mechanical Comprehension?
The test does not require advanced education; it tests the level of natural ‘mechanical’ thinking an individual possesses. A student of the 6th grade is expected to pass this exam.
Given sufficient time, any person would be able to solve the questions on this test, since every person has some level of innate mechanical aptitude. If a candidate scores high on this exam, then he/she possesses the ability to deduct the working of machinery and as such at a quicker rate and hence would fare well in jobs that require such aptitude.
How important is the Bennet Test for evaluation of your skills?
The Bennet test for Mechanical Comprehension was developed keeping in mind the guidelines as explained by the Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures as well as the Uniform Guidelines for Employee Selection Procedures.
This test evaluates your unconscious understanding of the following concepts. The word ‘unconscious’ is emphasized since these concepts are deemed to be understood naturally. For example, you probably don’t remember the rules of grammar for each sentence you write; however, you can ‘feel’ whether a sentence is right or not, by your understanding of a language.
Consider the following two sentences.
John and Ryan are brothers.
John and Ryan are brothers.
The moment you read the first sentence, you know it’s wrong. Only after the sentence register’s in your mind that you realize it’s wrong because we are talking about two subjects. So, you unconsciously realized it was wrong, before finding the grammatical rule of why it is so.
Similarly, the Bennet test evaluates your mechanical aptitude. Every person would get quite a few questions right, but a high score means you have more mechanical aptitude than the average candidate and that would give you more credit during the selection process.
Some of the daily life experiences that this test expects you to be aware of, when translated into physics terminology, are –
- The concept of inertia.
- The understanding that pushing a round object over a staircase requires more force than pulling it.
- The understanding that an object is in equilibrium if the net forces acting on it are equal and opposite in direction.
What is the Bennet Test’s passing score?
At the end of the exam, you are given a percentile, which means that you are ranked based on the average score of all the people who have taken the exam. Most institutions have a cut-off for selecting the right candidates.
What kind of abilities or knowledge you need to take the Bennet Test of Mechanical Comprehension?
The Bennet Test of Mechanical Comprehension assesses the following –
- Mechanical aptitude
- Deduction of ‘how things work’
- Spatial Visualization
- Application of physics
The Bennet Test of Mechanical Comprehension Preparation Tips
The concepts required for this exam are pretty basic and almost any individual can solve them; however, the key is to solve the questions quickly. You need to take a Bennet Test of Mechanical Comprehension example test to first check where you stand. With your percentile, you can understand how much speed you need to develop. Take a few practice tests without a timer and see if you are able to solve all of the questions correctly. You would be surprised at the results.
If you do go wrong somewhere, understand where you did and soon you will be able to solve questions without even a single mistake. Practice the Bennet Test of Mechanical Comprehension career practice exam from different sources and soon you will be able to face the real deal!
In conclusion, this exam would show how mechanically adept you are and even if it is not mandatory for your job, if you do take it and receive a high percentile, it would reflect well on your resume. All the best for cracking the Bennet Test of Mechanical Comprehension!