Everything you need to know
about the FRV numeracy test
Test format, topic coverage, calculator, booking — sourced from ACER's official FRV portal and Fire Rescue Victoria's published recruitment documentation.
One of four components.
The Fire Rescue Victoria Written Selection Test (WST) is administered by ACER as part of the career firefighter recruitment process. The full test runs about 2 hours 5 minutes across four separately-timed components: Literacy/Reading, Numeracy, Abstract Reasoning, and Mechanical Reasoning.
The numeracy section is the focus of this guide. It runs for 35 minutes with 30 questions, all sat on a secure online platform with an on-screen calculator available throughout. Question types are mixed: multiple choice, true/false, and direct numeric/measurement entry.
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Competitive, not absolute.
Unlike the Vic Police EST (which publishes scale-score cut marks of 111 for police and 105 for PSO), FRV does not publicly publish a numeric pass mark for the WST numeracy section. Progression is competitive: candidates are ranked against the other applicants in the same intake, and only top-performing candidates progress to the next stage of the recruitment process.
What this means for preparation
Without a fixed cut mark, "passing" isn't a number to hit — it's a question of how well you perform relative to other applicants in your intake. The honest preparation goal: be in the top portion of every section, not just the numeracy one.
Three content strands, ACSF Levels 2–4.
The numeracy section spans the three Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) numeracy strands across ACSF Levels 2 through 4. The underlying ACER assessment engine (CSPA) tops out at Level 4 — the same range as the Vic Police EST, and one level below the LANTITE which extends to Level 5.
ACER does not publish exact strand weightings or per-ACSF-level question counts for the WST — only that all three strands are represented and questions span the full Level 2–4 range, contextualised in workplace and operational scenarios.
Number & Algebra
Whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, basic algebra. Framed in equipment, scaling, and operational contexts.
Deep diveMeasurement & Geometry
Length, area, volume, time, metric unit conversions, basic geometric shapes. Reading from plans, maps, and technical diagrams.
Deep diveStatistics & Probability
Reading tables, charts, and graphs. Mean, median, percentages, basic probability, interpreting data shown in operational reports.
Deep diveProcess domain
ACER tags every numeracy question with one of three process domains. The mix is designed to test how you handle information end-to-end — not just whether you can do the maths, but whether you can extract it from a stimulus and communicate the result.
Extract mathematical information from the stimulus.
Use mathematical knowledge to solve the problem.
Evaluate, communicate and represent the result.
ACER does not publish per-test strand or process-domain weightings for the FRV WST. The proportions above are modelled on the LANTITE breakdowns ACER does publish (40–50% / 25–35% / 20–30% by strand; 25–35% per process domain) — all three Australian numeracy tests share the same three-strand structure, the same ACSF framework, and the same underlying assessment engine, so there's no reason to assume the WST would deviate materially. Treat these as our practice-paper distribution, not an ACER-published blueprint.
On-screen calculator throughout.
The FRV WST provides an on-screen basic calculator for every numeracy question — there is no non-calculator section. The calculator handles addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, and a memory function. Personal calculators are not permitted.
What the calculator can and can't do
Available
- +, −, ×, ÷
- Decimals
- Memory (M+, M−, MR, MC)
- Square root
Not available
- Trig functions (sin / cos / tan)
- Powers and exponents
- Statistical functions
- Order-of-operations parentheses
Tied to recruitment intakes.
How to book
Book directly through ACER at frv.acer.org. Test fee is $238 (inc GST), or free with a current Centrelink Health Care Card. You can sit at an ACER test centre across Victoria or via remote live-proctored delivery from home.
When it's offered
Unlike the Vic Police EST (year-round), the FRV WST runs in line with FRV's recruitment campaigns. Check the FRV recruitment site at firefighter.vic.gov.au for current intake windows.
Common questions
How many questions are in the FRV numeracy test?
The FRV Written Selection Test (WST) numeracy section has 30 questions and runs for 35 minutes. The full WST runs about 2 hours 5 minutes total across four separately-timed components: Literacy/Reading, Numeracy, Abstract Reasoning, and Mechanical Reasoning.
Is a calculator allowed in the FRV numeracy test?
Yes — an on-screen basic calculator is provided throughout the numeracy section. Personal calculators are not permitted; the calculator built into the test platform is the only one available.
What is the pass mark for the FRV numeracy test?
FRV does not publicly publish a numeric pass mark or scale-score cut for the WST numeracy section. Progression is competitive against other applicants in the same recruitment intake, not measured against a fixed threshold.
What topics are tested in the FRV numeracy section?
The numeracy section covers the three ACSF-aligned content strands: Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. Questions are contextualised in workplace and operational scenarios — reading tables, plans, maps, and diagrams.
How often is the FRV WST offered?
The WST is tied to FRV's recruitment campaigns, not offered continuously. Test fee is $238 (inc GST), or free for candidates with a current Centrelink Health Care Card. Bookings are made through ACER at frv.acer.org.
Is the FRV WST online or paper-based?
The test is fully computer-based. It can be sat at an ACER test centre across Victoria or via remote live-proctored delivery from home. Both modes use the same secure online platform.
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