Verbal reasoning
Language comprehension: working out what words and short statements mean and how they relate to each other.
Tip: Do not spend long on a hard word. Make your best pick and move on.
Pre-employment test guide · Checked November 3, 2026
The PI Cognitive Assessment (Predictive Index Test) Explained
The PI Cognitive Assessment is The Predictive Index's hiring test: 50 multiple-choice questions in 12 minutes, mixing verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning. Most people do not finish, and only correct answers count, so a wrong answer costs nothing extra. Scores run from 100 to 450 with an average of 250, about 20 correct. There is no pass mark: the employer sets a target for the job, and meeting it counts as a full match.
PI Cognitive Assessment at a glance
Facts from The Predictive Index's own pages, checked November 3, 2026. Employers can change settings, so your invitation email wins if it says something different.
| Publisher | The Predictive Index (PI); formerly sold as the PLI (Professional Learning Indicator) |
|---|---|
| Questions | 50 multiple choice, from a larger pool |
| Time limit | 12 minutes for the whole test (18 and 24 minute versions exist as accommodations) |
| Mix | At most 16 verbal, 18 numerical and 16 abstract reasoning questions |
| Do people finish? | No. PI says most people do not answer all 50. |
| Scoring | Correct answers only, turned into a scaled score from 100 to 450 |
| Average | 250, about 20 correct (PI reference group of 288,000+) |
| Pass mark | None. The employer sets a Cognitive Target for the role. |
| Same test for everyone? | No. Each sitting gets an equivalent but different set of questions. |
| Retakes | 1 attempt by default; employers can allow up to 3 and count the highest |
| Devices | Computer, tablet or phone, in 64 languages |
| Official practice | PI's free sample: 20 questions in 4 minutes 48 seconds, no sign-up |
PI Cognitive Assessment question types
PI describes the test as simple math, basic logic and language comprehension, in three categories. It does not need job knowledge, formal education or prep, according to PI.
Numerical reasoning
Simple math and basic numerical logic, done quickly and without a long setup.
Tip: Mental math speed matters more than advanced math. Practice quick percentages and fractions.
Abstract reasoning
Recognizing patterns or differences in shapes on screen: the odd one out, or what comes next.
Tip: Look for one change at a time: position, rotation, count, shading.
PI Cognitive Assessment scores: average, good and target
Your score is based only on the number of questions you answer correctly; questions attempted do not count. PI's example: someone who answered 20 and got 15 right scores the same as someone who answered 40 and got 15 right. The raw score is converted to a scaled score from 100 to 450.
The average scaled score is 250, which is about 20 correct out of 50. PI calls this a criterion test: you are compared with a target for the job, not ranked against other candidates. If your score meets or beats the employer's Cognitive Target you get the top match score of 10, with no penalty for being above it; below it, points drop on a sliding scale.
PI recommends that employers keep scores confidential and talk about fit instead, and it does not release questions or answers to individuals, so most candidates never see their number.
How to prepare for the PI Cognitive Assessment
- Step 1
Do PI's official sample questions
PI's free sample has 20 questions in 4 minutes 48 seconds with no sign-up, and shows which answers were right. PI says these are the only official sample questions, and they do not overlap with the real pool.
- Step 2
Practice at 14 seconds a question
50 questions in 12 minutes is about 14 seconds each. Practice moving on: time spent stuck on one hard question is time you could spend on easier ones.
- Step 3
Answer something for every question you reach
Only correct answers count and wrong ones are not subtracted, so a guess can only help. Make sure nothing you reach is left blank.
- Step 4
Set up a quiet, single sitting
PI asks for your full concentration. Have scratch paper ready (PI says extra resources are not restricted), close other tabs, and do not start until you can finish: an expired or abandoned invite uses up an attempt.
Is the PI Cognitive Assessment proctored, and can it detect cheating?
PI supports both proctored and unproctored use. Each sitting gets a different but equivalent set of questions, so a retake never repeats the same test. If you navigate away during the test, PI says the screen blurs and copy and paste is blocked.
Employers can send the test more than once, and PI tells them to count only the highest score.
PI Cognitive Assessment answers, AI help and cheating
Are there PI Cognitive Assessment answers online?
No. Each sitting gets an equivalent but different set of questions from a larger pool, PI does not release questions or answers, and its official sample questions do not overlap with the real pool. For the questions on your screen, OphyAI Aptitude Test shows the answer and a one-line reason as each one loads.
Can AI help on the PI Cognitive Assessment?
Yes. Its verbal, numerical and abstract questions are all multiple choice, which OphyAI Aptitude Test was built for. Only correct answers count and wrong ones cost nothing, so every question you answer can only help.
Can the PI Cognitive Assessment detect cheating?
PI says each candidate gets a unique set of questions, and that the screen blurs and copy and paste is blocked if you navigate away. OphyAI's popup is hidden from screen sharing and recording, but not from a webcam, a person in the room, proctoring software that inspects your computer, or a supervised retest.
Compare every platform: Can online assessments detect AI?
OphyAI Desktop for Mac and Windows
OphyAI Aptitude Test and the PI Cognitive Assessment
Aptitude Test mode in the OphyAI desktop app reads each multiple-choice question on your screen and shows the answer, with a one-line reason, in a small popup only you can see.
Use OphyAI Aptitude Test on your real PI Cognitive Assessment, not just for practice. Start a test in the desktop app, open the PI Cognitive Assessment and turn on Auto: each question is answered as it loads, with the option to pick and a one-line reason, in a popup that macOS and Windows leave out of screen sharing and recording. Or press Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + A on any question.
It covers all three PI categories: verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning. PI blurs the screen if you navigate away, and employers can send the test again.
Online assessment11:42
Question 18 of 50
Which number comes next? 3, 6, 12, 24, ...
- 30
- 36
- 48
- 52
Sharing entire screen
Online assessment11:42
Question 18 of 50
Which number comes next? 3, 6, 12, 24, ...
- 30
- 36
- 48
- 52
OphyAI · Aptitude Auto
48
Each term doubles the one before it.
Free download. Each test uses 15 credits and stays open for 2 hours. See everything it does
What it is hidden from, and what it is not
Hiding the popup from screen share does not hide it from a webcam, a person in the room, or proctoring and lockdown software that lists running apps or blocks screen capture.
PI Cognitive Assessment questions
50 multiple-choice questions in 12 minutes: at most 16 verbal, 18 numerical and 16 abstract reasoning. Most people do not finish.
There is no pass mark. The average is 250, about 20 correct. A good score is one that meets the target the employer set for the job; at or above it, you get the top match score. PI does not publish job targets.
No. PI says most people do not. Your score is the number you get right, so speed and accuracy on the questions you reach matter most.
PI does not publish a calculator rule. It says test takers are not expected to need extra tools, and names scratch paper as an example. Practice mental math and check your invitation.
Usually not. PI recommends that employers keep scores confidential and share fit instead.
Only if the employer allows it. The default is one attempt, employers can allow up to three, and PI tells them to count the highest score. Each retake has different questions.
The Cognitive Assessment is the timed 12-minute test with right answers. The Behavioral Assessment is a separate untimed survey, about 6 minutes, where you pick adjectives from two lists; it has no right or wrong answers.
No. PI says it does not measure IQ or acquired knowledge; it indicates how fast someone can be expected to pick up new knowledge.
Sources
Read on November 3, 2026. The Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment is a product of The Predictive Index; OphyAI is not affiliated with The Predictive Index.
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Walk into the PI Cognitive Assessment prepared
Download OphyAI Desktop, start Aptitude Test before your PI Cognitive Assessment begins, and see each answer and its reason in a popup only you can see.